Portrait in Black

Portrait in Black, released in 1960, is an intriguing blend of melodrama, romantic entanglement, and psychological terror. With its iconic cast including Lana Turner, Anthony Quinn, and Richard Basehart, the film offers great performances alongside a riveting story laden with tension and suspense. It’s a dark exploration filled with secrets, murder, and a disintegrated love affair.

Lana Turner, famous for both her acting acumen and her personal scandals, delivers a stellar performance as Sheila Cabot. She's a woman caught in an unhappy marriage with Matthew Cabot (Lloyd Nolan), a wealthy and much older businessman, who is severely ill. Turner succeeds in portraying a powerful character with an impressive range, from internal conflict to overt determination, highlighting the strenuous predicament she's trapped in.

Anthony Quinn shines as Dr. David Rivera, a talented yet under-appreciated doctor serving the Cabot household. He nurses Matthew Cabot while battling a clandestine and passionate romantic entanglement with Matthew's wife, Sheila. The chemistry between Turner and Quinn is palpable from the start, sowing the seeds for the complicated plot that unfolds. The movie gains depth as this relationship undergoes seismic shifts from a covert romance to a desperate conspiracy to escape a loveless marriage.

Richard Basehart, depicting Howard Mason, is Sheila's dutiful brother-in-law whose character brings in a coursing stream of tension and suspense to the plot. As the plot thickens, other eminent characters like actress Sandra Dee playing Cathy Cabot and John Saxon performing as Blake Richards, adds to the narrative complexity in a subtle yet crucial way.

The movie's narrative revolves around Sheila and David's escalating desperation and their determination to free themselves from their circumstances. Their involvement in a series of unfortunate events further entangles them in a web of lies, crime, and deceit that proves disastrous for everyone involved. As the plot unfolds, suspense maintains a firm grip on the viewer, not letting go until the final, shocking revelation.

Set against a sophisticated urban background, the film is visually beautiful. High-contrast black-and-white cinematography sets the mood for this thrilling narrative. The shadowy alleys, gleaming luxury, and refined elegance create a perfect backdrop for such a thrilling drama. Meanwhile, its classical score, composed by Frank Skinner, resonates with the fast-paced ebbs and tides of the morose narrative, further intensifying the movie's inherently suspenseful atmosphere.

The script, written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, is sharply penned and does not shy away from tackling risqué plot lines in a time when cinema was making room for darker, more complex storylines. Director Michael Gordon employs traditional cinematic techniques such as close-ups, rapid scene transitions and facial expressions to astonishing effect, ensuring that the audience remains on a knife-edge of suspense throughout the film.

Despite the grim premise of the storyline, the movie's undercurrent of love, albeit tainted with deceit, offers an unconventional love saga. It is adept in showcasing the lengths people could go when blinded by love and desperation. Yet importantly, it shows how the pursuit of happiness, when tainted by crime, can lead to thorough and inevitable destruction.

Portrait in Black brings a sense of drama and intrigue to the screen that is seldom seen in contemporary cinema. Its exploration of a forbidden relationship and the chaotic effects of a murderous plot make for an intense film experience. Driven by powerful performances from its star-studded cast and its brilliant cinematic execution, the film leaves the viewer with a sense of thrill, shock and contemplation that lasts well beyond its end credits. Despite its release in 1960, it remains a timeless piece of work, offering a glimpse into the darker side of human relationships, bound by desperation, deceit, and love.