An unemployed drifter, Eric Stanton wanders into a small California town and begins hanging around the local diner. While Eric falls for the lovely waitress Stella, he also begins romancing a quiet and well-to-do woman named June Mills. Since Stella isn't interested in Eric unless he has money, the lovelorn guy comes up with a scheme to win her over, and it involves June. Before long, murder works its way into this passionate love triangle.
Acting
Linda Darnell's Stella: devastating, bored, and absolutely unforgettable.
Cinematography
Joseph LaShelle turns a roadside diner into existential dread.
Direction
Preminger lets you hate Eric while desperately understanding him.
Director
Otto Preminger
Alice Faye
June Mills
Dana Andrews
Eric Stanton
Linda Darnell
Stella
Charles Bickford
Mark Judd
Anne Revere
Clara Mills
Bruce Cabot
Dave Atkins
John Carradine
Professor Madley
Percy Kilbride
Pop
Dorothy Adams
Stella's Downstairs Neighbor (uncredited)
Robert Adler
Coroner at Murder Scene (uncredited)
Matthew Beard
Shoeshine Boy (uncredited)
Chet Brandenburg
Man in Drug Store (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns
News Vendor (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Alice Faye, a huge musical star, essentially retired from Hollywood after this role—she hated how Preminger cut her scenes in favor of Darnell's steamier material.
This was Preminger's immediate follow-up to 'Laura' and studio-mandated to replicate its success—the cynical twist is that he made something far crueler about desire instead.
US
