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RomanceCrimeThriller

Shockproof

- He thought he was shockproof!

Jenny Marsh, recently released from prison for killing a man, finds herself under the watchful eye of her parole officer, Griff Marat, who helps her secure a job caring for his ailing mother.

Release Date : 1949-01-25

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Columbia Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Cornel Wilde

Character Name : Griff Marat

Original Name : Cornel Wilde

Gender : Male

Patricia Knight

Character Name : Jenny Marsh

Original Name : Patricia Knight

Gender : Female

John Baragrey

Character Name : Harry Wesson

Original Name : John Baragrey

Gender : Male

Esther Minciotti

Character Name : Mrs. Marat

Original Name : Esther Minciotti

Gender : Female

Howard St. John

Character Name : Sam Brooks

Original Name : Howard St. John

Gender : Male

Russell Collins

Character Name : Frederick Bauer

Original Name : Russell Collins

Gender : Male

Charles Bates

Character Name : Tommy Marat

Original Name : Charles Bates

Gender : Male

Richard Benedict

Character Name : 'Kid', Knife Wielder (Uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Benedict

Gender : Male

Argentina Brunetti

Character Name : Stella (Uncredited)

Original Name : Argentina Brunetti

Gender : Female

Paul Bryar

Character Name : Man in Car (Uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Bryar

Gender : Male

Frank Ferguson

Character Name : Logan (Uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Ferguson

Gender : Male

James Flavin

Character Name : Policeman in Park (Uncredited)

Original Name : James Flavin

Gender : Male

Frank Jaquet

Character Name : Monte (Uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Jaquet

Gender : Male

Ann Shoemaker

Character Name : Dr. Daniels (Uncredited)

Original Name : Ann Shoemaker

Gender : Female

Shirley Adams

Character Name : Emmy (Uncredited)

Original Name : Shirley Adams

Gender : Male

Gilbert Barnett

Character Name : Barry (Uncredited)

Original Name : Gilbert Barnett

Gender : Male

Paul Bradley

Character Name : Airline Clerk (Uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Bradley

Gender : Male

John Butler

Character Name : Sam Green, Pawnbroker (Uncredited)

Original Name : John Butler

Gender : Male

Claire Carleton

Character Name : Florrie Kobiski (Uncredited)

Original Name : Claire Carleton

Gender : Female

Cliff Clark

Character Name : Mac, Police Lieutenant (Uncredited)

Original Name : Cliff Clark

Gender : Male

King Donovan

Character Name : Joe Wilson (Uncredited)

Original Name : King Donovan

Gender : Male

Al Eben

Character Name : Joe Kobiski (Uncredited)

Original Name : Al Eben

Gender : Male

Virginia Farmer

Character Name : Mrs. Terrence, Landlady (Uncredited)

Original Name : Virginia Farmer

Gender : Female

Eddie Foster

Character Name : Newspaper Buyer (Uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Foster

Gender : Male

Chuck Hamilton

Character Name : Policeman (Uncredited)

Original Name : Chuck Hamilton

Gender : Male

Sam Harris

Character Name : Man in Elevator (Uncredited)

Original Name : Sam Harris

Gender : Male

Earle Hodgins

Character Name : Race Caller (Uncredited)

Original Name : Earle Hodgins

Gender : Male

Charles Jordan

Character Name : Hamburger Man (Uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Jordan

Gender : Male

George J. Lewis

Character Name : Border Patrolman (Uncredited)

Original Name : George J. Lewis

Gender : Male

Jimmy Lloyd

Character Name : Clerk (Uncredited)

Original Name : Jimmy Lloyd

Gender : Male

Charles Marsh

Character Name : Manager (Uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Marsh

Gender : Male

Nita Mathews

Character Name : Nurse (Uncredited)

Original Name : Nita Mathews

Gender : Male

Frank O'Connor

Character Name : Policeman at Hospital (Uncredited)

Original Name : Frank O'Connor

Gender : Male

Brian O'Hara

Character Name : Policeman (Uncredited)

Original Name : Brian O'Hara

Gender : Male

Norman Ollestad

Character Name : Boy at Wedding (Uncredited)

Original Name : Norman Ollestad

Gender : Male

Fred F. Sears

Character Name : Clerk (Uncredited)

Original Name : Fred F. Sears

Gender : Male

Lester Sharpe

Character Name : Proprietor (Uncredited)

Original Name : Lester Sharpe

Gender : Male

Arthur Space

Character Name : Police Inspector (Uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Space

Gender : Male

Robert R. Stephenson

Character Name : Drunk (Uncredited)

Original Name : Robert R. Stephenson

Gender : Male

Buddy Swan

Character Name : Teenage Boy (Uncredited)

Original Name : Buddy Swan

Gender : Male

Harry Tenbrook

Character Name : Job Applicant (Uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Tenbrook

Gender : Male

Crane Whitley

Character Name : Foreman (Uncredited)

Original Name : Crane Whitley

Gender : Male

Isabel Withers

Character Name : Switchboard Operator (Uncredited)

Original Name : Isabel Withers

Gender : Female

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Give all to love obey thy heart. *** This Review Contains Minor Spoilers *** Shockproof is directed by Douglas Sirk and written by Samuel Fuller and Helen Deutsch. It stars Cornel Wilde, Patricia Knight, John Baragrey and Esther Minciotti. Music is by George Duning and cinematography by Charles Lawton Jr. When convicted murderess Jenny Marsh (Knight) is released into his care, parole officer Griff Marat (Wilde) literally finds his life being turned upside down... As many film noir lovers will attest too, there are a number of noir movies out there that frustrate with their endings to the point it induces anger. One such film is Shockproof, a meeting of two great film making minds undone by a studio decision so soapy and irrelevant that studio heads should have rolled post haste. I'm the one who gets spanked. Shockproof actually is a great film noir, it takes a simple honest to goodness man, introduces a classic femme fatale into his life, and before you can say "stop you fool", he's in it up to his neck. Stylistically it's top notch noir as well. Sirk and Lawton consistently have bar shadows featuring prominently, Jenny Marsh never escapes them, she may be out of prison but the parole office and latterly Harry Wesson's (Baragrey very good as her no good weasel boyfriend) hotel room consistently imprison her - and actually, Griff as it comes to pass. The Marat home is a delightful amalgamated design of art deco and the ornate. While in Wilde's hands Griff moods and smokes a lot, just as Jenny smolders and dives into his soft melancholic eyes (Wilde really does have sad eyes!). Excuse me while I push Humpty Dumpty off his wall! It's all there, for a good hour it's prime film noir, both as a story (the protags join a fine list of noir couples on the lam) and for tech skills as well, but then it all goes pear shaped. Even before you realise that Griff has suddenly abandoned his disabled mother and younger brother without so much as a goodbye, a turn of events leads to a Hollywood type ending (Deutsch brought in for the rewrite) that defies logic, belief, and something that ultimately comes off as insulting. Aaaarggghhh! Sirk and Fuller were disgusted, both wanted Fuller's original ending, and when you look into it, it would have been film noir nirvana and most fitting. A shame unbound for sure, for this is great for the most part as Wilde and Knight have genuine sparks (a real off screen romance) and Sirk, Fuller and Lawton are in sync thematically. In its fullest form it's a sad 5/10 movie, if turning off 5 minutes before the end and pretending that the couple's fate is unknown - or using our own imaginations and supplanting Fuller's originally scripted finale, then it's a mightily strong piece of film noir.