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The Prowler

Play trailer Poster for The Prowler 1951 1h 32m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
After being frightened by a peeping Tom at her mansion in the suburbs, the beautiful Susan Gilvray (Evelyn Keyes) calls the police for help. When a policeman, Webb Garwood (Van Heflin), arrives, he becomes infatuated with Susan, and the two engage in an affair. Susan soon ends their relationship, choosing to remain with her husband, John (Sherry Hall). However, Webb's obsession with her continues to grow, until he begins plotting to kill John and cash in on his life insurance policy.
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The Prowler

Critics Reviews

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David Thomson The New Republic 06/24/2013
It's really a quick, deft analysis of a kind of world where corruption and easy answers are on the advance. Go to Full Review Keith Uhlich Time Out 11/17/2011
3/5
As the plot, concocted in part by blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, gets more and more outlandish the films loses its degenerate luster. Go to Full Review J. Hoberman Village Voice 03/16/2010
The Prowler may be the creepiest of classic noirs. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 08/23/2020
7/10
The notion of a police stalker bending rules for the sake of controlling a situation and possessing a woman would continue to fuel mind-benders for decades to come. Go to Full Review Jeremy Heilman MovieMartyr.com 07/24/2012
78/100
The Prowler becomes a twisted vision of American entrepreneurship, with the two leads forming a grotesque nuclear family. Go to Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 03/18/2012
Losey's magnificently ruthless dismantling of his characters' veneers and delusions and self-made traps Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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acsdoug D @acsdoug 11/06/2024 It's low budget but not a bad little noir. See more Blobbo X @Blobbo 08/15/2024 Better than average old noir. The appealing Evelyn Keyes played wife in Seven Year Itch, in case you - like Blobbo - were wondering. See more harwee h 05/19/2024 Another solid film from Joseph Losey. Its not perfect but the story is more pushed than usual for its time. See more nick s 04/10/2024 Well acted movie, nicely paced. See more 03/13/2022 By definition, this barely rates as film noir. More like a crime drama without the snappy dialogue and long shadows. It's alright and it can hold your interest, but only the finale manages to crank up some tension. See more 01/20/2019 The rectangle-within-a-rectangle symmetry of the window within the frame of the movie screen in the opening scene reinforces the notion that the filmgoer is essentially a licensed Peeping Tom. The Prowler may be the creepiest of classic noirs.A down and dirty masterpiece. See more Read all reviews
The Prowler

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Cast & Crew

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Joseph Losey

Director

Van Heflin

Webb Garwood

Evelyn Keyes

Susan Gilvray

John Maxwell

Charles "Bud" Crocker

Katherine Warren

Grace Crocker

Emerson Treacy

William Gilvray
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The Prowler

The Prowler (1951) The Prowler (1951) The Prowler (1951) The Prowler (1951) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After being frightened by a peeping Tom at her mansion in the suburbs, the beautiful Susan Gilvray (Evelyn Keyes) calls the police for help. When a policeman, Webb Garwood (Van Heflin), arrives, he becomes infatuated with Susan, and the two engage in an affair. Susan soon ends their relationship, choosing to remain with her husband, John (Sherry Hall). However, Webb's obsession with her continues to grow, until he begins plotting to kill John and cash in on his life insurance policy.
Director
Joseph Losey
Producer
Sam Spiegel
Screenwriter
Hugo Butler, Dalton Trumbo
Production Co
United Artists
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 5, 2016
Runtime
1h 32m
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