They Won't Believe Me (1947)

At the Hall of Justice in Los Angeles, a murder trial is underway; Lawrence Ballentyne (Robert Young) takes the stand. He is charged with the brutal murder of a woman. A flashback, which covers most of the movie, tells a story that begins on a hot summer day in New York. Although Ballentyne is married to Greta (Rita Johnson), he has a mistress, Janice Bell (Jane Greer). Ballentyne was ready to leave his rich and influential wife and relocate to Montreal with Janice, but wife Greta knew of his plans and sabotaged them by convincing him to move to California with her. Greta's enticement was to buy her husband a limited partnership in a brokerage firm. Ballentyne promptly dumped Janice. Everything was fine for six months, until he spotted an office employee, Verna Carlson (Susan Hayward). He says, "She looked like a very special kind of dynamite, neatly wrapped in nylon and silk . . . I was powder shy." Before long though, the conniving Verna bails out Ballentyne, who was in a jam with his boss, Mr. Trenton (Tom Powers). After that Ballentyne is into a relationship with her. Events happen, like Ballentyne accidentally bumping into Greer at a restaurant (Hmmm).Eventually Ballentyne decides to go away with Verna to Reno, but his car is struck by an out-of-control heavy truck. Verna is promptly killed and her body burned beyond recognition, while Ballentyne ends up in a hospital. The investigating police believe it was his wife Greta who died in the accident. Ballentyne goes along with the story and soon recovers. After a few events pass, wife Greta commits suicide at a canyon near her ranch. Ballentyne finds her body and the note that he wrote to her in which he explained that he was leaving her for Verna. Although he left her body to decompose, the police eventually discover it. But they soon wonder about Verna. When Ballentyne travels to Kingston, Jamaica, he again unexpectedly runs into Janice Bell. Back in LA, he says he feels like the "bait." He should be uneasy, as Janice is setting him up for the police, who are convinced he murdered Verna. They believe in a motive: Verna must have been blackmailing him. The flashback over, we return to the courtroom trial and Ballentyne's dilemma. The ending is a real grabber, and the last two words provide a twist to this noirish thriller. The acting is fine all around, although the four lead characters are not particularly likable. Top-billed Robert Young is especially good even though he is cast against type; he does not overplay his role as a charming womanizer. After his movie career, he successfully moved into television and among other performances, had two terrific series with "Father Knows Best" (1954-1960) and "Marcus Welby, M.D." (1969-1976). Susan Hayward appeared in many movies, especially in the 1940s and 1950s. After receiving several Oscar nominations for Best Actress, she finally won the award for "I Want to Live" (1958). Jane Greer was the classic femme fatale in "Out of the Past" (1947). Anthony Caruso, a character actor who racked up over 250 movie and TV credits, has a brief role as a hardened hospital patient.

The first problem with this film is that there's no way you're going to like the lead character, played by Robert Young. He's a decided womanizer and as unfaithful as they come -- a wife and 2 lovers in just 95 minutes. Not to mention being a would-be murderer.The second problem with this film is that you're not going to like the wife (Rita Johnson), either. She's clearly manipulating her husband with her money.The third problem with this film is that you're not going to like the first "other woman", played by Jane Greer...well, you might have a little sympathy for her, and there's an interesting twist with this character.The fourth problem with this film is that you're not going to like the second "other woman", played by Susan Hayward. Clearly a gold digger.The fifth problem with this film is that there are just too many coincidences to be viable.Not liking a single main character is problematic for the film. Who does the audience root for? Nevertheless, as unbelievable as the story line may be, it's still pretty interesting with enough twists to keep your attention. And, while you won't like the characters, the acting is pretty decent.

They Won't Believe Me is directed by Irving Pichel and adapted to screenplay by Jonathan Latimer from a story by Gordon McDonell. It stars Robert Young, Susan Hayward, Jane Greer and Rita Johnson. Music is by Roy Webb and cinematography by Harry J. Wild.Larry Ballentine (Young) is on trial for murder and he tells his story in flashback. Three dames and fate does not a good mix make."She looked like a very special kind of dynamite, neatly wrapped in nylon and silk. Only I wasn't having any. I'd been too close to one explosion already. I was powder shy".A splendid slice of noir drama is put together by a group of film makers who knew how to make the noir style of film making work. The story has all the requisite ingredients to lure the interested viewers in, twists and turns, vipers and snipers, dialogue so sharp you could cut a steak with it, and a love rat protagonist (Young splendid in a break from his normal roles) being toyed with by Old Noir Nick and his friend The Fate.In true noir tradition the plot is a little "out there", the middle section drags at times, while Harry Wild's cinematography doesn't kick in till a good hour into the play (worth the wait though!). But this is a little noir treasure waiting to be seen by more people. It's not unknown, the cast list ensures that is not the case, but in film noir circles it doesn't often crop up for discussion. It should, for it's tricky and devilish and pays off with a finale straight out of noirville. 8/10

Still can't believe that I'm giving a Susan Hayward film **1/2 but I am.In 2012 this film could never be made. Ever hear of DNA?This is a different role for Robert Young and he wasn't quite up to it. He lacked the suave, debonair facade that the role required.If Greta really wanted to keep her marriage intact, why would she invite the aunt to join them in the house? The woman was suspicious of Young from the onset and he obviously couldn't stand her.The ending is an example of collective guilt. Jane Greer comes across as an understanding, kindly woman; but after all, she did have an affair with Young. Susan Hayward's part is genuine for her. She is conniving and calculated. Rita Johnson is the wife who seems to be understanding that her husband philanders. With the money she had, she didn't have to be like that.