The Madonna's Secret (1946) User Reviews (20)

A decently painted noir mystery

[XhcnoirX · 7/10 · 3 March 2016]

Francis Lederer is a successful painter who uses Linda Stirling as a model, but only her body, the face is that of a model from a previous life in France. That model ended up murdered, but Lederer was cleared all of charges, and he moved to the US with his mother. After Stirling begs him to paint her face too, he does. And she ends up murdered as well, in a similar fashion as the French model. Theater columnist Edward Ashley knows about Lederer's past and points the police to him, but they can't make a case. Stirling's sister Ann Rutherford tries to investigate and becomes a model for Lederer herself. Meanwhile a portrait hanging in a gallery has attracted the attention of wealthy socialite Gail Patrick. But when Lederer refuses to sell it to her, she gets him to paint her portrait. The murders are not yet done...

This movie is a competent Republic noir/mystery, that has a slight Gothic feel to it due to the painting angle. Lederer does a nice mentally tormented artist, and Rutherford is great, backed by a solid cast. The story is nothing too special, and neither is the identity of the killer (the suspect pool is rather shallow), but the movie isn't dull, altho it is a bit talky in parts... And it has a memorable torch singer meets knife-throwing act scene at a nightclub. That lady has nerves of steel!

The DoP for this movie was John Alton. Needless to say this movie looks the part (helped by the great looking print I saw). Beautiful shadows, coming from all angles, but also done tastefully and subtly. Director William Thiele does a nice job too, and the cast & crew make this a movie that rises above its Republic standard. Good stuff, recommended! 7/10

Brisk suspense movie that holds the attention.

[khunkrumark · 7/10 · 2 July 2017]

Brisk suspense movie that holds the attention - even if the baddie does seem rather obvious from early on in the proceedings.

Directors today are a lot more sophisticated than they were when 'talkies' became a thing... and that's not always a good thing. Often the director's fingerprints are all over a good story and they just serve to dilute the narrative, not make it better.

So; for old folk like me, it's a nice change to see scenes blend simply together, no silly timeline confusion and best of all - every camera is firmly attached to a tripod!

The Madonna's Secret follows the life of a tortured artist as he faces accusations of multiple murders. His beautiful models seem to meet with unfortunate endings and the cops all think they point to the painter.

Perhaps they do, as he hears voices, has bad dreams and forgets chunks of his life. Perhaps they don't as there are circumstances that point to other culprits... Most of you won't have to wait till the end to find out as the more perceptive will see the guilty party telegraphed before you, long before the players do!

With that said, it's still a good fun ride buoyed by a really good cast of actors even in the minor roles. Will Wright is a treat doing what he does best... crusty old geezer down by the river! (You'll recognize the face as he was in every movie made in the 40s and every TV show made in the 50s!) And there are endless other similar cameos to put names to in this yarn.

Worth a watch.. and right now it's free on YouTube!

Strange and hypnotic noir

[gordonl56 · 6/10 · 8 April 2008]

A step above normal film-noir from low budget studio, Republic. Francis Lederer is a painter who is haunted by the memory of his murdered fiancée. All his new work is now finished with the face of the dead woman. When a new model of Lederer's is murdered the police grab him up for a chat. After a bout of 3rd degree they let him go for lack of proof. Then another woman turns up dead and Lederer is the prime suspect. Of course the man is being set up. By his own mother no less! It seems she believes none of the women measure up to her standards. Though there is a bit of heavy going in the odd spot, the film does have some rewards for the viewer. The cast does rise above the story and the look of the film is quite good. Lederer, Ann Rutherford, Gail Patrick and serial queen Linda Stirling are all good in this low-renter. Then we have director of photography John Alton providing his usual assortment of shadows for just the right atmosphere. Director William Thiele is best known for a couple of the lesser Tarzan movies, TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY and TARZAN TRIUMPHS. A decent time-waster for the noir crowd.

great atmosphere

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 16 November 2021]

"The Madonna's Secret" is a noir starring Frances Lederer, Gail Patrick, Ann Rutherford, Linda Stirling, Leona Roberts, and John Litel.

Frances Lederer plays tortured artist James Corbin, who moved to America after being accused of the murder of one of his models. He was acquitted, but found it best to start over. He works with a model named Helen North, but he doesn't paint her face. Her face is that of his dead love, Madeline.

Helen, under pressure from a boyfriend, decides to quit working for Corbin. Part of the reason is that she is falling for him, and it's not going anywhere. Five minutes after she quits, Corbin declares his love for her and wants her as part of his life.

Well, that doesn't last long. Helen is soon murdered in the same fashion as Madeline. A newpaper publisher who recognized Madeline's portraits knows who Corbin is and exposes him to the police. He's arrested for Helen's murder, but they have to release him because he has an alibi.

The police send in Helen's sister Linda (Rutherford) to model for him and to get any information that she can. Along comes a wealthy woman, Ella Randolph, who wants to buy the Madonna's Secret, one of Corbin's portraits of Madeline. She flirts outrageously with him and soon, she sees herself as a competitor for Linda.

Corbin is a chick magnet, and Linda has fallen for him as well. She is devastated when Ella says she and Corbin are going to be married (which isn't true). Then Ella winds up dead. Corbin is slapped in jail.

So what gives here? This is an atmospheric film with a good performance by the handsome Lederer, who really keeps you guessing, as does the script.

It's a good mystery, although I can't see all these women, particularly a victim's sister, falling for this guy. Francis Lederer is one thing - the character is another!

By the way, Lederer founded a drama school and was still teaching the week of his death at age 101. A remarkable man.

Super ambiance, dark and clever stuff, nothing brilliant beyond the visuals

[secondtake · 6/10 · 13 March 2011]

The Madonna's Secret (1946)

A psycho-mystery that broods and clunks along pretty well but too much a twist on a twist kind of movie. In fact, it's so obvious that the main character, a tortured artist, is suspected from the first minute, you know something else is up. What you don't suspect is what, and so by the end there is that final twist. I suppose this should or could have been a Vincent Price Gothic chiller, but in the hands of the leading man, Francis Lederer, it's a dark and serious affair. No camp allowed.

This comes near the end of director William Thiele's B-movie career (followed by a slew of Lone Ranger t.v. episodes and then, a step sideways for 36 shows of Cavalcade of America, a staple of 1950s American middlebrow normalcy). So we might be glad the movie is as good as it is, and I think the main reason is ace cinematographer John Alton. There are subtle movements of the camera that make an ordinary conversation take on depth, at least in terms of mise-en-scene. And the truly dramatic lighting (including some obvious back projection stuff of Lederer speeding in a boat at night) is great just to watch.

The series of women who pose and/or get themselves killed is curious--they do all look the same at a glance--and might have been more fun if extended a bit more. That is, they are all relatively cardboard characters, including the main character, who can't get out of his angst filled cliché, and so we can't really get involved emotionally in their fates. We just watch. And so thank you Mr. Alton for making that watching worth the ride. If you don't give a hoot about lights and camera, give this a by.

Brisk Film Noir

[boblipton · 6/10 · 2 January 2021]

Francis Lederer is a painter haunted by his past, using Linda Stirling as his model, but painting the face of his dead model in Europe. He was a suspect in her murder by drowning, but nothing concrete was proven, and so he went free and came to America.

Now he has fallen in love with Miss Stirling and now she too is dead of drowning. Police detective John Litel hounds him, but he has an alibi, and suggests he has an enemy. The cops have to let him go, but they play a spy in his home. Is it Miss Stirling's sister, an actress, or is it rich Gal Patrick, who wishes to buy Lederer's last painting because of the notoriety, or is it Ann Rutherford, who says she has been sent by the modeling agency? Lederer hires her, and while she is changing, he looks in her hand bag and discovers a gun.

It's in interesting set-up for a film noir, and DP John Alton shoots strong, sharp shadows of prison bars. William Thiele directs from a script he co-wrote. It's a good cast, and worth a look, despite a slightly botched ending.

Actors Much Better Than Material

[Michael_Elliott · 16 August 2012]

The Madonna's Secret (1946)

** (out of 4)

Artist James Corbin (Francis Lederer) has his latest model murdered and it strikes one man (Edward Ashley) strange that a previous model died the same way. The second victim's sister (Ann Rutherford) decides to go undercover as a model to try and prove that the artist is the murderer. THE MADONNA'S SECRET features some good performances and nice cinematography but that's about it as the story itself is rather tiresome and director Wilhelm Thiele just doesn't add too much suspense to the material. In fact, I'd say that the entire film has a very weak energy level that really keeps the viewer from getting too caught up in the material. The screenplay itself really doesn't have too much going for it as there are way too many long dialogue sequences that just go no where and end up hurting the film more than helping. As I said, the performances are actually pretty good and they help keep the film moving. Lederer was very believable as the troubled artist and I really liked how the actor could make you not trust him one second but then change your mind the next. Ashley makes for an entertaining good guy and Rutherford gets to shine in a role away from Andy Hardy. John Litel is good as the main cop on the case and Leona Roberts is also good as the artist's mother. I will admit that the final twist in the story is a good one and something that I didn't see coming.

Who is killing Corbin's models??

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 17 February 2019]

"The Madonna's Secret" is a pretty good film. Had it offered more red herrings and possibilities, it would have been even better.

James Corbin (Francis Lederer) is a famous painter who is hiding out in America. Why is he hiding? Because back in Europe one of his models was murdered and he was tried for this crime. Although acquitted, his reputation has been ruined. He is still painting however and once again he's fallen in love with his model...and she soon is found dead!! Once again he's arrested but they have to release him because he had an alibi. But a reporter insists that Corbin in guilty and convinces the recently murdered model's sister (Ann Rutherford) to become the next model to get the goods on Corbin. However, she and another model both soon fall in love with the guy! Are they destined to die as well? And, most importantly, who is doing this and why?

I think the plot was very, very clever and I enjoyed the movie. But it had a few things that should have been done a bit better. First, having Rutherford's character fall in love so easily, considering her sister just died and he might have done it, seemed unbelievable. Second, there just weren't many possible killers introduced during the course of the movie and I correctly guessed their identity almost immediately. A few red herrings definitely would have added to the suspense. Still, despite a few problems here and there, a dandy picture.

Combo Film - Noir and Mystery

[monsieurhulot · 9/10 · 6 June 2006]

Not sure if this strictly a noir film as it runs as a mystery as well. Some evidences of film noir would be the dramatic cinematography, a character that is somewhat of a Femme Fatale, a feeling of hopelessness in the current status quo, and of course, the criminal element that pervades most scenes. Against it being noir would be that this film is not about the average man, but a well to do artist. Also, the fate angle doesn't seem quite pronounced here. The acting is great throughout with special kudos for Francis Lederer and his creepy accent. The cinematography is uniformly superb. Of course, any film shot by John Alton is special. This is a rare film and currently only shown at film festivals. Hopefully it will show up on DVD someday.

MOODY...MELANCHOLIC MYSTERY...CLOAKED IN ALTON'S LINES & SHADOWS...ABOVE AVERAGE

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 17 August 2021]

Ambience Provided by Top-Notch Film-Noir Cinematographer John Alton.

The Film is Painted with Diagonals and Shadows.

It's a Melodramatic Mystery about a Successful Painter that has His Models being Murdered One After Another.

He has Bouts of Amnesia and Other Mental Problems and He Can't Remember if He's Responsible or Not.

Somewhat Far-Fetched and Contrived Story to Fit All the Murders into an 80min Time-Frame and it Mostly Works with some Good Acting.

The Film Reeks of Melancholia and Frank Lederer in the Lead is a Gamut of Gaunt Features and Droopy Demeanor.

One of the Suspects Completely Disappears in the Third-Act. Playing an Important Role in Acts 1 & 2, and then He just Vanishes.

Such are the Pitfalls in the B-Movie World of Programmers where it was a "Just Get It Done" Attitude for the Most Part.

A Surreal Night-Club Scene in "The Village", with a Knife-Throwing Act is Bizarre.

This One Rises Above its Pedigree because of Alton's Images, Lederer's Laconic Portrayal, and a Good Twist.

Above Average.

Unlucky women

[AAdaSC · 5/10 · 5 February 2012]

Francis Lederer (James) is an artist with poor temperament, you know, prima donna style. He paints girlfriends who end up dead. This doesn't go un-noticed by Edward Ashley (John) who works with the police to get Lederer convicted of murder. One problem though - is Lederer actually guilty?

You know something is wrong in this film when Lederer invites Ann Rutherford (Linda) to his birthday party.......and the only other guest is his MOTHER! Yeah - that's normal for a young man. The cast are fine although the women are all given slightly irritating dialogue. Lederer is a good main focus for the film which ticks along but I'm afraid that's all it does - tick along.

The title refers to a painting which has a significance once the plot is understood and the idea behind the story will, no doubt, be familiar. However, despite a few slow patches, the film is OK. I have to add that my enjoyment of the film was hampered by the very poor sound quality of the film that I watched, although I am not sure whether or not this is due to my source of purchase.

A sea of moods balances sanity and madness.

[mark.waltz · 8/10 · 22 January 2017]

This is an exciting Gothic thriller that will keep you guessing. A moody artist, a beautiful model who is brutally murdered and the sister who tries to prove his guilt drives this psychologically and in ways that make you unsure that the dark eyed and sinister looking Francis Lederer is the Jekyll and Hyde he seems to be.

Linda Stirling, the Rita Hayworth like beauty, is first seen singing as a knife thrower takes a risk with her and Lederer paints a picture of her being impaled. Truth is stranger than paintings, and Stirling is murdered, with her sister Ann Rutherford taking a modeling job to find a way of pricing him guilty. Gail Patrick is a flirtatious art patron who makes a play for him, unaware of dangerous implications in his past.

Sort of like "Rebecca" set in the world of art, this has Lederer its Maxim DeWinter, Stirling as the lady of mystery and murder, and Rutherford its innocent Joan Fontaine like waif who may or may not be in danger with her dealings with the dark souled artist.

Then, there's Leona Roberts as his clinging mother which gives hidden psychological clues to Lederer's psyche. He's excellent, delivering a performance of subtle gentility and angry passions, making him an excellent anti-hero. Rutherford, Patrick and Roberts are quite good as well. Everything has been meticulously put together, from the costumes and sets to the music and cinematography. It's a beautiful piece of art, hidden away to the point of obscurity and really deserving of a major rediscovery.

The Madonna's Secret

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 8 January 2023]

This is one of these murder mysteries where we, the audience, are clued in from the start. It's up to the stars to decide whether or not tortured artist "Corbin" (Francis Lederer) is responsible for a murder in Paris (for which he was acquitted) and another in the US. Both women had been his model as some stage, so the finger well and truly points in his direction. It falls to the murdered girl's sister "Linda" (Ann Rutherford) to pose as his latest model whilst he paints both her portrait, and that of the wealthy "Ella" (Gail Patrick) - who might be next for the chop? It's actually quite a wordy exercise, this, with no stand out efforts and little by way humour or jeopardy. Moves along quickly though, and the production is pretty competent. Not a film you'll remember but not one you're likely to hate either.

intriguing start, but slow moving

[cherold · 5/10 · 7 March 2011]

This film noir started out on a rather interesting note, as a theater critic becomes fascinated with the model in a painting and tries to track her down. The central mystery involves the mysterious death of the model of a brooding painter, but I can't say the ending was any sort of surprise.

The problem is that once the story gets going, it just doesn't have much to do. This 90-minute movie could have been cut to an hour without losing anything. The movie also suffers from indifferent dialog and plotting (one key character disappears entirely about halfway through the film).

It's a pretty nice looking movie and the acting isn't bad, but it just lacks anything to set it above any other B movie.

"I wish there was a path through the jungle"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 6/10 · 17 June 2017]

James Harlan Corbin is an artist with a troubled temperament. Unfortunately several models whom he has painted have been murdered. Has he done them in or is there another explanation and what is the significance of the painting called 'The Madonna's Secret? The actual significance is that it gives the ending away early if one thinks about it. This is a fair mystery story but no more. There are noirish elements but on the whole it is more a melodrama.

Frances Lederer is suitably tortured as Corbin and John Litel his usual reliable self as the police lieutenant. There is a fine trio of actresses in Gail Patrick, Ann Rutherford and Linda Stirling but their parts are underwritten. They deserved more meaty roles.

The cinematography by John Alton is great, giving it a look that makes one surprised it is a Republic picture. It never rises above being a B picture though despite the fine photography and the fine cast.

' Psycho ' Turned Upside Down

[jromanbaker · 10/10 · 10 December 2023]

This film is very, very underrated. It has elements of the Gothic including a rambling house full of paintings of a mysterious woman, painted by a man who plays the piano to drive off inner nightmares and outer fears. Held for a woman's murder in Paris there was insufficient evidence to convict him. And now he sits with his devoted mother and at her bidding goes out to find life again. No spoilers but it is almost as good as Hitchcock's ' Psycho ' and its atmosphere in my opinion much darker. Francis Lederer plays the man, handsome and sinister and women of course want to get to know him. The plot is in a way ' Psycho ' turned upside down, and it is excellently directed and well acted. It is on YouTube and in a perfect copy. I highly recommend it. A film that is not on male on female violence and yet everything points that way. Watch it and wait for the surprise.

Good acting, but plot has a big hole - could have been filled with a better twist

[eckleind · 3/10 · 16 June 2019]

I second the acting and mood ratings others have given for the film. but no one has mentioned the plot flaw represented in the very end of the film. We are led to believe that the artist was so out of it that he did not notice his mother doing away with those women while out with them. Even if it happened off-camera after the the women returned home from dates (all in a motorboat!), how would the old lady transport her victims back to the water where their bodies were found? A better ending would have the slick drama critic (who knew the artist and the first victim in Paris) turn out to do the killing. In fact, I somewhat anticipated that twist, but not what developed. If the mother was so possessive of her artist son, why would she set things up such that he would get the blame and maybe the chair? It doesn't make sense, but then I don't write mysteries.

An artist persecuted by his models being murdered, and he doesn't know if he is doing it himself.

[clanciai · 9/10 · 22 October 2018]

A very intricate and clever thriller, like a labyrinth with no way out, but nevertheless, in spite of the main detective getting lost on the way, there is a final answer as a surprise to everybody. A brilliant artist is obsessed with a model he lost in Paris by drowning some years ago, but he keeps painting her over and over again, using other models to realize her, which naturally they object to: they want to be themselves and not the model he lost. And then more models of his are getting lost and drowned in the same way, and he is bewildered, gradually entering the suspicion that there is someone else within him who is his own enemy, while the police is equally bewildered. And yet the main detective, a journalist, is cocksure that there can be no other murderer than the artist himself.

It's a very romantic film, the artist is extremely clever but melancholy and sad to the same degree, since of course he loved the models that were drowned for him. He plays the piano, and it is always sad muic, by Chopin, Beethoven or his own very romantic improvisations. The music adds atmosphere to this very moody film but is never obtrusive or dominating. There are many reminiscenses here of "Laura" a year before, the same obsession with an extremely beautiful portrait, even two of them here, but there is also some very interesting discussions about art, since the dominating character leading the play here is the artist.

It's a film that would deserve being seen several times, and once you have seen it, you will certainly return to it or at least never forget it.

This film is either clever or preposterous, take your pick. I choose the latter.

[scsu1975 · 4/10 · 20 November 2022]

Francis Lederer plays an artist whose models all seem to fall for him, then wind up dead. Is he killing them? Edward Ashley plays a drama critic who thinks Lederer is guilty as hell. So he enlists one of the dead model's sister (Ann Rutherford) to pose for Lederer. Will she fall for Lederer? Will he off her?

I can only take so much of this. Despite a twist ending, there are too many stupid plot developments. The police, led by John Litel, are well aware of what Rutherford is doing, and just go along with it. I guess that's how the cops ran investigations back in the 40s. Rutherford also carries a small gun in her purse, which Lederer manages to find with no trouble. I guess that's how women packed heat back in the 40s. And why is a drama critic investigating murders? I guess that's how the public did their civic duty back in the 40s. Throw in a nightclub scene where the singer warbles a ballad while a guy throws knives at her.

Ashley is annoying as the critic, but Gail Patrick plays a beyotch to perfection. Rutherford has that rare combination of cuteness and va-va-voom-ness, so she's fun to watch. Lederer does a decent job, but he furrows his brows way too often. While I admit he has some charm, I can't see dames falling all over him. He scores so often in this film that the New York Jets should consider signing him.

Good cast, dusty dialogue, twist ending

[ksdilauri · 5/10 · 25 December 2023]

Here's a little oddity that doesn't run too long, so it may be worth a peek on a quiet evening. The story proceeds slowly (if you have a short attention span, look elsewhere) but it's one of those with an ending you probably won't see coming. Our tortured artist is a mystery man, for sure, and it's hard to know whether to root for him......which is the way it's supposed to be. Those who remain awake as the scenes progress will recognize the familiar faces of Gail Patrick and Anne Rutherford (who has a scene with her fellow "Gone with the Wind" alumnus, Leona Roberts) so talent isn't in short supply. The drag lies in the talky script. But if you hold out till the end, you will find a most unexpected twist.