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Possessed

  • 1947
  • Approved
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
Joan Crawford and Van Heflin in Possessed (1947)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:03
1 Video
30 Photos
CrimeDramaFilm-Noir

After being found wandering the streets of Los Angeles, a severely catatonic woman tells a doctor the complex story of how she wound up there.After being found wandering the streets of Los Angeles, a severely catatonic woman tells a doctor the complex story of how she wound up there.After being found wandering the streets of Los Angeles, a severely catatonic woman tells a doctor the complex story of how she wound up there.

  • Director
    • Curtis Bernhardt
  • Writers
    • Silvia Richards
    • Ranald MacDougall
    • Rita Weiman
  • Stars
    • Joan Crawford
    • Van Heflin
    • Raymond Massey
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    5.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Curtis Bernhardt
    • Writers
      • Silvia Richards
      • Ranald MacDougall
      • Rita Weiman
    • Stars
      • Joan Crawford
      • Van Heflin
      • Raymond Massey
    • 90User reviews
    • 40Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:03
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos30

    Joan Crawford and Van Heflin in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford and Van Heflin in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford and Geraldine Brooks in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford, Van Heflin, and Geraldine Brooks in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford and Van Heflin in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford and Van Heflin in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford, Van Heflin, and Raymond Massey in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford and Van Heflin in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford in Possessed (1947)
    Joan Crawford and Van Heflin in Possessed (1947)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Joan Crawford
    Joan Crawford
    • Louise Howell
    Van Heflin
    Van Heflin
    • David Sutton
    Raymond Massey
    Raymond Massey
    • Dean Graham
    Geraldine Brooks
    Geraldine Brooks
    • Carol Graham
    Stanley Ridges
    Stanley Ridges
    • Dr. Harvey Willard
    John Ridgely
    John Ridgely
    • Harker
    Moroni Olsen
    Moroni Olsen
    • Dr. Ames
    Erskine Sanford
    Erskine Sanford
    • Dr. Max Sherman
    Peter Miles
    Peter Miles
    • Wynn Graham
    • (as Gerald Perreau)
    Jakob Gimpel
    Jakob Gimpel
    • Pianist
    • (as Jacob Gimpel)
    Isabel Withers
    Isabel Withers
    • Nurse Rosen
    Lisa Golm
    Lisa Golm
    • Elsie
    Douglas Kennedy
    Douglas Kennedy
    • Asst. District Attorney
    Monte Blue
    Monte Blue
    • Norris
    Don McGuire
    Don McGuire
    • Dr. Craig
    Rory Mallinson
    Rory Mallinson
    • Coroner's Assistant
    Clifton Young
    Clifton Young
    • Interne
    Griff Barnett
    Griff Barnett
    • Coroner
    • Director
      • Curtis Bernhardt
    • Writers
      • Silvia Richards
      • Ranald MacDougall
      • Rita Weiman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Star Joan Crawford reportedly said, "I will not go on with this picture unless the Epstein Boys rewrite my part." Twin brothers Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein were then on suspension from the studio. In order to get them to accede to Crawford's demands, executive producer Jack L. Warner had to take them off suspension and give them back pay for their uncredited rewrite Crawford wanted.
    • Goofs
      During the opening sequence, while Louise is wandering the streets of Los Angeles, her shoes change from pumps to sling-backs and back again.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Harvey Williard: How many does this make?

      Interne: Twenty today: 1 manic, 3 seniles, 6 alcoholics, and 10 schizos.

      Dr. Harvey Williard: Going up all the time. This civilization of ours is a worse disease than heart trouble or tuberculosis, and we can't escape it.

    • Alternate versions
      Also available in a computer colorized version.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Time That Remains (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Carnaval, Opus 9
      by Robert Schumann

      Played on a piano by Van Heflin (dubbed by Jakob Gimpel)

    User reviews90

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Laying the Grounds for an Insanity Defense
    Possessed, the second of two films with that title made by Joan Crawford, is typical Forties soap opera and probably would be forgotten today if it weren't for Crawford's performance. As she runs through a whole gamut of emotions exponentially, you will be glued to your seat.

    A seemingly normal woman on the outside, Crawford's got a whole lot of issues. She's being dumped by younger boy friend Van Heflin and she won't call it a day.

    Heflin's professional association with Raymond Massey doesn't help matters. Crawford works as a nurse for Massey's invalid wife and when the wife dies, Crawford excepts Massey's marriage proposal.

    Joan is so conflicted here. By now she realizes Heflin is a no good love 'em and leave 'em rat, but she still pines for him. And jealousy is working here too, because Heflin has taken a shine to Massey's daughter Geraldine Brooks.

    It's an extraordinary job by Crawford. Rage, jealousy, unrequited love, she shows them all and at the same time. No wonder she got her second Oscar nomination. She lost however to Loretta Young in The Farmer's Daughter.

    Heflin is good, but if this had been made at 20th Century Fox, his role would have been perfect for Tyrone Power. What a classic Possessed would then have been.
    helpful•14
    4
    • bkoganbing
    • Oct 16, 2005

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 26, 1947 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • One Man's Secret
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center - 1200 N. State Street, Los Angeles, California, USA(hospital exteriors in opening sequence)
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,592,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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