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Portrait in Black

Play trailer Poster for Portrait in Black 1960 1h 52m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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40% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 50% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
As the health of tyrannical but gravely ill shipping tycoon Matthew Cabot (Lloyd Nolan) declines, he relies on pain medicine injected by his physician, Dr. David Rivera (Anthony Quinn). What Cabot doesn't know is that his frustrated wife, Sheila (Lana Turner), is having an affair with the doctor and has conceived a plan to do away with her husband. David agrees to go through with the murder, but threatens to confess their crime when Sheila begins receiving anonymous letters from a blackmailer.

Critics Reviews

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Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 05/30/2022
B-
A downbeat plot hole filled crime thriller that's surprisingly entertaining despite its Go to Full Review
Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine 12/03/2019
A sluggish and implausible crime-and-suspense melodrama in soap-opera vein... Go to Full Review
TV Guide Staff TV Guide 03/15/2019
2/5
Turner was dressed in some eye-catching Jean Louis gowns, and the film employed some beautiful sets, but neither of these flashy touches could conceal Portrait in Black's contrived plot. Go to Full Review
Tony Sloman Radio Times 03/15/2019
2/5
A film with a plot so full of holes that it's hard to stop the cast falling through them. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 02/26/2013
C+
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Audience Reviews

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Orin D Mar 24 This decent neo-noir is worth a viewing if only for the fine performances of the three lead actors. Given the time period of its production (1960), I knew the leads would not get away w/ their crimes, which a few years later they might have. Orin Domenico See more 07/08/2018 Lana Turner and Anthony Quinn are great together in this movie! Sandra Dee plays a supporting role different from other roles she has played! I liked this movie overall! See more ashley h @ashleyhobgood87 01/28/2018 Portrait in Black is a decent film. It is about a married woman and her lover who murder her cruel husband, but they are blackmailed by someone who is aware of their crime. Lana Turner and Anthony Quinn give good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Michael Gordon did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama and mystery. See more 07/10/2012 the twist at the end of "portrait in black" is a little stupid, and unbelievable, though leading up to that moment and what comes after the twist is really good. if that bit were only changed to something i woudn't have such a hard time swallowing, this could have been a brilliant piece of cinema. See more 03/15/2012 This is an excellent thriller with an exceptional performance by Anthony Quinn. It's about two lovers, David and Sheila, who off Sheila's grumpy husband Mr. Cabot so they can be together. But there crime was seen by someone who keeps leaving notes and making them paranoid. David grows increasingly as a serial murderer while devoted to Sheila. The film transcends from being an ordinary thriller to a character study on David's part. Quinn's performance is one to pay attention to here. See more 07/27/2011 No ihan ok, mutta samanlaisia tarinoita on kerrottu vaikka kuinka monta ja paljon paremmin. See more Read all reviews
Portrait in Black

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis As the health of tyrannical but gravely ill shipping tycoon Matthew Cabot (Lloyd Nolan) declines, he relies on pain medicine injected by his physician, Dr. David Rivera (Anthony Quinn). What Cabot doesn't know is that his frustrated wife, Sheila (Lana Turner), is having an affair with the doctor and has conceived a plan to do away with her husband. David agrees to go through with the murder, but threatens to confess their crime when Sheila begins receiving anonymous letters from a blackmailer.
Director
Michael Gordon
Producer
Ross Hunter
Screenwriter
Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts
Production Co
Universal/Universal Int
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Feb 5, 2008
Runtime
1h 52m
Sound Mix
Stereo