Ladies in Retirement (1941) Review

Title: Ladies in Retirement
Year: 1941
Director: Charles Vidor
Country: US
Language: English

Directed by Charles Vidor, Ladies in Retirement (1941) is a gothic melodrama noir, much like Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca (1940).  It blends noir elements with old-school horror, and has a gothic aesthetic in its cinematography. I enjoy Vidor's films (Gilda) and I'm a big fan of Ida Lupino (Lust for Gold) so I decided to check this out. 

The housekeeper (Ida Lupina) to a retired actress tries at the same time to look after her own two emotionally disturbed sisters, with dramatic results.
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Ladies in Retirement stands out for its use of lighting. The shadows accent each actors' face, and like a lit mask reveals their intentions and inner thoughts. Ida Lupino's typically beautiful eyes are now a window into her tormented soul. 

Skillful cinematographer George Barnes and Art Director Lionel Banks add to a haunting atmosphere by setting up odd twisted interior settings, as well as foreboding surreal exteriors. The film's shots - of dense fog and staircases that go nowhere- give us an uneasy feeling throughout the run-time.

Ladies in Retirement is a well-made picture that, at least to my knowledge, is under-appreciated in modern times. We should be talking about this film a lot more as it is both entertaining and impressive on a technical level.