Portrait in Black (1960)

Too much of everything

One of the best films i have seen

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.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

I never give spoilers, but Portrait in Black is one movie I'd love to spoil. I won't though, but I'll warn you in the best way I can. Everything in Portrait in Black promises to take the story in a certain direction, and had it gone in that direction, it would have been very good. I would have raved about the glamorous love story, the great suspense and melodramatic acting that puts you in the mood for another Peyton Place or Madame X. Instead, the gigantic build-up doesn't follow through, and it turns into a movie with a lousy love story, no suspense, and ridiculously melodramatic acting that makes you groan and roll your eyes.Lana Turner is married to Lloyd Nolan, and while he's deathly ill, she for some reason has no patience. The man is dying and in an enormous amount of pain, but she continues to be mean to him-and she's having a hot and heavy affair with his doctor, Anthony Quinn. I know Tony's gorgeous, but couldn't she wait a few months? Apparently not. Lana and Tony come up with a plan to kill Lloyd, but once he's dead, their amour isn't smooth sailing. Servants Ray Walston and Anna May Wong, daughter Sandra Dee, and business partner Richard Basehart are all suspicious of Lloyd's death-and who's hiding information from whom?I know, it sounds fantastic, but trust me on this one, it's incredibly disappointing. It's even more disappointing because you've been led on for two hours, investing your time and hopes in what you thought was going to be an epic classic. If you don't believe me, I guess you can rent it, but you won't be happy about it. Your only consolation will be getting to drool over Anthony Quinn.

He's about my favorite actor and he did a fantastic job emoting, with that little grin and sense of quiet power underneath his emotions that always grabs me. This isn't his film, although he's in it a great deal, and the confrontation scene with Turner showed his snapping straight to action that made his Admiral Nelson on his TV show entertaining to watch. His role stood out to me, and so did Walston's job of acting the really conniving, debt-ridden sleazy chauffeur who was lucky to get away with his life.As for Turner and Quinn, they did fine -- I believed the passion and will remember their kissing of each other's hands as a pretty good depiction of devotion and obsession. It saved a lot of footage of them sucking face, anyway! San Francisco and its mansions and glorious bay stood out as scenery. Also nice was a starring role for a pussycat to add to the mystery of the plot, The little boy, Kohler, had to my ears a touch of Noo Yawk in his speech, and sure enough, looking him up proves he was from New Jersey. He did okay as just a regular little kid, no dramatic highjinks or angst that wasn't solved quickly. All in all, I enjoyed this melodrama quite a lot and recommend it.

"Portrait in Black" is another of Ross Hunter's late '50s-early '60s productions for Universal-International. Like his others, this is a beautifully realized film with an excellent budget and meticulous attention paid to every detail, ensuring the cast looked their best and the story was brought about with taste and credibility.I've always liked this glossy, good-looking movie. However I must say I personally don't think Anthony Quinn was right for the role of the doctor. Gregory Peck, with his noble features and polished manner, would have brought an interesting dimension to that part.Beautiful sets, hair styles, clothes, cars, manners and language. A delight to behold. Enjoy.

Portrait in Black is one of those star-studded, glitzy color productions of the early 1960s, and quite often, those movies fell flat on their faces. This one, though, despite being filled with clichés, works. There is the cliché of the lovely but sexually-frustrated Sheila (Lana Turner), wife of a much older, possessive, and abusive husband, Matthew Cabot, played by Lloyd Nolan, who just happens to be loaded (he is the head of a San Francisco-based shipping line). Perky Sandra Dee plays Turner's step-daughter, who predictably does not care for her father's second wife. She in turn, is romantically involved with the rugged John Saxon, the ruggedly handsome but poor head of a small tugboat firm--a match her imperious father would never countenance. Enter Anthony Quinn as the handsome doctor, daily stopping by the mansion to minister to the terminally ill Mr. Cabot. Soon, he finds that fringe benefits come with his visits, as Mrs. Cabot eagerly falls into the strong embraces of the good doctor--she certainly didn't fall for his intellect. One thing leads to another; the cantankerous Matthew conveniently dies, and the rest of the film deals with who knew what and when, how the protagonists deal with blackmail, and how the death pulls them apart instead of vice versa. Supporting roles are noteworthy--Virginia Grey and Anna May Wong--former 1930s glamor queens play the loyal secretary and housekeeper, respectively. But the best supporting performance kudos go to Richard Basehart as Howard Mason, Cabot's scheming business associate. Mr. Basehart embraces the role of the suave, cutthroat businessman who is clearly out for his own advancement. He has proved he will not hesitate to hurt anyone in his grasp for power and wealth. He has an eye for his employer's wife and a mocking, jealous disdain for the supposedly loyal ministrations of Quinn's Dr. Rivera. Mr. Basehart plays Howard with a delightful smarminess that makes him the funnest character of the entire film. Yet, you get the feeling that deep down, Howard can be a decent person--though he has been in love with Sheila for years, he never made a move on her while her husband was alive--perhaps out of loyalty? Subtle facial expressions in his scenes and tones of voice from Mr. Basehart make Howard more than a one-dimensional slimeball. The stunning wardrobe changes Lana Turner parades through the film, the San Francisco location shots, the set design of the mansion, and the tight direction of Ross Hunter make the film a must see.