Whispering Footsteps (1943)

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

And, the Oscar for the most annoying performance goes to...Juanita Quigley, as Rose....the girl who is CONSTANTLY screaming! This reason alone is an excellent reason NOT to watch "Whispering Footsteps"! As another reviewer pointed out, "...she is a screaming nuisance"!The story itself is a Republic B-movie...clocking in at under 55 minutes. In some small town, there has been a rash of murders...young women are being strangled. Suspicion falls on a guy who works at the bank because he looks like the descriptions of the murderer...but women seem more than willing to vouch for him...even when he's had some blackouts! Is he really the killer? And, if so, does he even know it?!The story is mildly entertaining...especially when Rose is NOT in the scenes. But she is often and I counted a total of nine times where she screamed...mostly with little provocation. And, there just wasn't enough good to outweigh that annoying brat!

John Hubbard (Mark) lives in a guest house and falls under suspicion when his description fits that of a murderer. Not only that, but his behaviour seems to fit someone who may be guilty of a murder spree – he reads strange books and his after dark hours seem to follow the pattern of the murderer. So, is he? The film is OK – ruined by a few of the cast – but essentially it keeps you guessing so that's a good point. It's a shame that Juanita Quigley (Rose) doesn't get murdered – you will see what I mean. She's the one that screams every time she appears. Not just once, usually 3 times. And it's always at top decibels and very shrill. I think it's meant to be funny. Anyway, she ruins the film. Another oddity is Mary Gordon (Ma) who plays the landlady and who speaks with what sounds like a dreadful Scottish accent. I found out that she is actually Scottish which makes her unlike-able because she shouldn't speak like that! It's a compact film that is more of a study of human nature rather than a straightforward whodunnit.

Bank teller John Hubbard resembles the description given by the authorities of a murderer. Because he was on vacation in the area where the murders took place, he becomes a suspect, and is constantly tailed by investigator Cy Kendall. When murders start happening in his own town, he soon finds himself the talk to the town, even tho his neighbor Joan Blair and his bosses daughter Rita Quigley provide him with alibis for the murders.The story is really basic and doesn't need a lot of time to be told. Which is maybe why this movie needs only just over 50 minutes. It feels like a movie adaptation of an episode of a radio play series like 'Suspense', including a (literally) last minute twist. The acting is decent enough, but there's an annoying part for a girl (Rita's sister Juanita Quigley) who screams every time she's scared, which is really often.The movie has plenty of dark/night-time scenes, which aren't shot in a noir way really but are atmospheric nevertheless. Director Howard Bretherton and DoP Jack Marta, who both did tons of westerns, do decent work here but don't expect magic. Overall the movie is entertaining tho and with its small town gossip angle even manages to sneak in some social commentary (altho I doubt that was intentional). 6/10

All has already been told in the plot line. Not bad, much talk, much more than in other Republic Studios movies. Howard Bretherton is a famous B - and mostly grade Z - film maker. Many many westerns and two serials MONSTER AND THE APE, and WHO'S GUILTY, two serials produced by the terrible Sam Katzman. Two serials that I won't recommend to anyone, even to a guy who would slaughter my whole family...Back to this little film, I guess that's probably his best picture. I won't watch any of his grade Z westerns, even under a gun barrel, because I already know what i would have to deal with. And I am not masochistic. So, I could only enjoy this little film. But maybe I am wrong, maybe there are some little gems among the dozens of features he was guilty of.Anyway, this film is worth for movie lovers, and gems diggers as I am.