InformationRap
This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Yash Wade
Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.
Taha Avalos
The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
Leofwine_draca
Another take on the BLUEBEARD/REBECCA type storyline from German auteur Fritz Lang, although I have to say that this is one of his worst movies. The story involves an idealistic young bride who marries a handsome man and moves into his ancestral home only to discover that he's hiding some very dark secrets. Who is the mysterious scarred woman in his home, and what secret is lurking behind door number seven? There seem to have been hundreds of similarly-themed movies made during the 1940s and this is definitely a lesser effort compared to what's come before (Hitchcock's own version of REBECCA was a masterclass in suspense). SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR is slow and stodgy, with little incident to recommend it. Even worse, despite some impressive sets and locations, there's little of the Gothic atmosphere you'd hope from such a production.Joan Bennett is a rather cold heroine and not really someone you can support very much. Michael Redgrave (THE LADY VANISHES) is better, but seems a bit miscast in his role - he's too much of a nice guy to really convince as a sinister suitor. Sure, things do pick up for an appropriately exciting climax, but by that stage it's too little, too late.
anthonymcdonald150
With Fritz Lang. Michael Redgrave, Joan Bennett and the supporting cast this movie starts off great. Miss Bennett is so gorgeous, the leading ladies of today must be so jealous while the casting directors must wonder where did all the beauty go, Redgrave is as good as ever I have seen. I know the script can get a bit long toothed but that's just because current films don't rely on story driven movies. Natalie Schafer is such a scene steal-er. I loved this movie. Could not recommend it enough if you have a cold March evening and there is nothing ON TV, just go and bring yourself back to the mid 40's, the fashions, the set dressing will do it and enjoy the masters at movie making doing what they do best.. LOVED IT...
writers_reign
The major selling point for me was Michael Redgrave, who, as primarily a stage actor made far fewer films than his talent warranted and this was one that had eluded me. This is not to suggest that either Fritz Lang or Joan Bennett is chopped liver but the name of Ann Revere was also another plus - strangely enough it is only a matter of weeks since I watched Revere in another uncharacteristic role in The Flame Of New Orleans, also directed by a European rather than an American director, in that case Rene Clair. The story here is of course pure hokum and stems from the ridiculous premise that the protagonist would 'collect' entire rooms in which murders have been committed, ranging from the 15th to the 20th century, and ignoring the obvious fact that no two rooms would have had the same dimensions, shapes, furnishings, and how much space would he require for new additions. It's a passable noir that was possibly more effective in 1947.
martincrock
A Freudian thriller from director Fritz Lang. Good performances from Michael Redgrave and Joan Bennett can't disguise the fact that it is a revamp of Hitchcock's Rebecca. The locked doors that Redgrave's character collects equate to the locked part of his mind which his newly wed bride (Bennett) can't reach. This atmospheric thriller is supported by chilling music written by the great Miklos Rosza and shimmering black and white cinematography by Sidney Cortez. Anne Revere and Barbara O'Neil support the leads effectively. An entertaining thriller that tends to get bogged down occasionally by too much psychiatric rhetoric.
