After the death of her much beloved brother, Celia (Joan Bennett) goes on vacation in Mexico where she falls head over heals in love with Mark (Michael Redgrave). Moving fast, the two get married and Celia moves into Mark's home. Soon after the marriage Mark becomes increasingly more distant and cold towards Celia, making her question what secrets he may have in a forbidden room in his mansion. Secret Beyond The Door is a film which greatest weakness and strength lie in that it was made by Master filmmaker Fritz Lang. Lang injects the film with his impressive visual aesthetic, but being that it's directed by Lang, this film is a rather disappointing endeavor. The film touches on lots of interesting themes-the insecurities and fragility of the female psyche, a rejection of Freudian beliefs, and an overall interesting psychoanalysis, albeit shallow, of a tortured soul in Mark's character. While there is definitely a lot of things to appreciate, none of these things are examined fully and the structure and pacing leave a lot to be desire. The finale of the film is loaded with atmosphere and tension but the reveal at the end of the film is rather convenient. Honestly, I may be even judging this film too harshly cause of my expectations when seeing a new Lang, but there is a much better film that could be made using similar themes. 6.5/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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