| The Unholy Wife | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Farrow |
| Screenplay by | Jonathan Latimer |
| Based on | 1956 teleplayThe Prowler onClimax! by William Durkee |
| Produced by | John Farrow |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Lucien Ballard |
| Edited by | Eda Warren |
| Music by | Daniele Amfitheatrof |
Production companies | RKO Radio Pictures John Farrow Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Unholy Wife is a 1957Technicolorfilm noircrime film produced and directed byJohn Farrow atRKO Radio Pictures, but released byUniversal Pictures as RKO was in the process of ceasing its film activities. The film featuresDiana Dors,Rod Steiger,Tom Tryon andBeulah Bondi.[1][2] The screenplay was written by William Durkee andJonathan Latimer
The plot concerns afemme fatale named Phyllis (Diana Dors) who tells her sordid story from her prison cell in flashback.
Dors later said the film "wasn't good. They edited it badly."[3] The movie's box office failure hurt her career.[4]
Phyllis tells her story, beginning with how she met richvintner Paul Hochen fromNapa Valley in a bar and married him soon after.
Not long after the marriage, Phyllis begins having an affair with a local rodeo rider, San Sanford, seeing him every time her husband is away, which is frequently. One night, her elderly mother-in-law thinks a burglar is breaking into the house, so she calls the police. Phyllis sees this as an opportunity to kill her husband and blame the burglar for the crime. The plan backfires a day later when she instead kills her husband's best friend. Not wanting to go to jail, she convinces her husband to confess to the killing and they concoct a story that would set him free after the trial.
Phyllis lies at the trial and Paul is put away for murder. The "unholy" wife finally gets the punishment she deserves when her mother-in-law dies of poisoning and the blame goes to Phyllis, who is sent to prison for a crime she did not commit. Later, she faces her execution in the gas chamber.
Finally, Paul shows their son Michael the vineyard that will someday be his.
The film was based on a TV play, "The Prowler" which was presented on the TV showClimax! starringClaire Trevor, Pat O'Brien and Cameron Mitchell.
There was some talk this play was based onthe Woodward case but the host of the show,William Lundigan, denied this in the press, saying the script had been bought six months previously, and was held untilClaire Trevor was available to star in it.[5]
The script had been purchased by CBS byWilliam Dozier. When Dozier became head of RKO he purchased the film rights for RKO.[6] Dozier bought two otherClimax scripts for filming by RKO –Public Pigeon Number 1 to starRed Skelton andDeal a Blow written by Dozier's son Robert.[7] However these two films would not be made.
RKO was attempting to re-establish itself as a leading filmmaking studio at the time and had numerous projects in development.[8]
The movie was made byJohn Farrow as the second in a three-film contract he had with RKO. The first wasBack from Eternity (1956); there ended up being no third film.[6]
Rod Steiger signed to star in April.[9]Shelley Winters was a leading contender for the female lead.[10] However, in July 1956 the role was given toDiana Dors as part of a long-term contract with RKO; it was her second film in the USA (and for RKO) the first beingI Married a Woman (1956).[11]
Ethel Barrymore signed to play Dors' mother-in-law, her first film in two years. However, she changed her mind, fearing the heat of a location shoot in the Napa Valley, and dropped out.[12]Beulah Bondi replaced her.
Filming started in September 1956 on location in theNapa Valley under the titleThe Lady and the Prowler.[13]
The New York Times panned the film when it was released, writing, "Indeed, this might be an excellent time for the actress to take inventory or choose a comedy (her real forte). For the new R. K. O. production and Universal-International release, teaming her with Rod Steiger, is a dull, unholy mess, and an absolute waste of anyone's time. Including, we might add, that of the two principals. Pretentiously tinted in garish color, and staged with coronation pomp by director-producer John Farrow, the picture is a hollow, tawdry little drama of frustration, violence and a loveless marriage in California'sNapa Valley."[14]
Dors made no more films for RKO. She later sued RKO for defamation of character claiming $1,275,000.[12] She settled out of court for $200,000.[15]
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "The Unholy Wife" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(January 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
