Lured

In a mood-evoking opening sequence, a flashlight carries us along a cobblestone street, first stopping at a discarded London newspaper. Then, we pan along a building to the right, finally resting on a placard that reads “Hunt Stromberg Presents.” The flashlight continues to pan, displaying all the film’s credits in moody shadows. Jaunty music plays on the soundtrack. Surprisingly, Douglas Sirk, primarily known for women’s melodramas, directs this mystery/crime thriller.

A blonde, Lucy Barnard (Tanis Chandler), riding a London bus, eyeballs a saved newspaper ad to meet “John” tonight, wearing a red carnation. A man that the viewer cannot see waits in the shadows of a stone street, where the bus stops to let several people off, including the blonde above, who looks all around for her date. The now-smiling girl finally spots her beau and introduces herself to John, who is positioned behind a wall, so we can only hear him. A man with a placard passes by and momentarily pauses, displaying a sign advertising a new play, “Murder in Soho.” The couple descends the cobblestone street in dark shadows. The couple goes to a restaurant and is seated, the man hidden by a curtain.

A gloved hand deposits a letter in a mailbox, and soon Detective Gordon (Alan Napier) fetches the letter, which ends with, “Beauty that only death can enhance.” Gordon’s boss, Inspector Temple (Charles Colburn), also reads this latest letter from the poetic serial killer. “We got another poem, sir,” Gordon tells the chief. The police analyze the letter and soon determine that the same typewriter was used to write all seven poems. Seven poems and seven girls disappeared. “There’s a homicidal maniac on the loose somewhere … a maniac with a weakness for young, pretty girls,” Temple bellows.

Lucy, one of the paid dancers in a music hall whom we met earlier, talks to her weary friend, Sandra (Lucille Ball), and says there are only two hours left to work. Men keep pawing at the beautiful women, tiring them out. The orchestra keeps playing lively music. An entrepreneur tries to lure Sandra away to another nightclub that pays more, and she is anxious to tell Lucy. Lucy cues, “Ah, I am not interested. Tonight is Lucy’s last dance, Sandra … a man, he’s so handsome, he’s got the charm of the devil himself. I’m going away with him. The man is John, who comes from a very distinguished family.”

Meanwhile, a professor is analyzing the killer's latest poem. He says the poet’s style resembles that of the French poet Baudelaire, and he reads some lines aloud to prove his point. Inspector Temple says the killer acts as though he were a modern Don Juan.

Director Douglas Sirk is parodying the mystery and suspense genres. Lucille Ball, still a journeyman actor, manages to deliver the laughs to her friend Lucy, and Ball wasn’t to be known for creating humor for another four years. The so-called serial killer is boilerplate. Lines of dialogue, such as the victim “dancing her last dance,” fade into the dance hall sequence. Merging the killer and poet Baudelaire is a stretch, primarily when delivered by a quirky professor. Sirk’s showing the movie’s credits on the side of a cobblestone street is gimmicky. And the placard that stops dead center when Lucy first meets John is too blatantly intrusive. It’s as though Sirk is winking at the audience.

The club’s manager refuses to allow Sandra off work for her audition, but mentions he has not heard from Lucy for a while, and Sandra nods knowingly. She begrudgingly heads out to go to work. Lucy, who thinks she is speaking to Mr. Fleming’s secretary over the phone, is conversing with the man, George Sanders, who is reportedly flirting to excess. “Perhaps we can arrange a private interview … (holding the phone away) I am an unmitigated cad!” George Sanders is playing a caricature of himself. Sandra is finally told that another audition is tomorrow night at 9 o’clock. At this moment, Sandra eyes the newspaper headline that suspects Lucy Barnard of being the eighth victim of the “Poet Killer” as the music swells.

Fleming’s business partner, Julian Wilde (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), has architectural plans for Fleming’s latest club, and Fleming suggests making the dance floor smaller so it appears crowded. Then he smirks, “Let’s look at the pretty young girls in their dancing shoes.” And he observes the very amateurish audition.

Sandra reports to the police about Lucy’s disappearance. She tells Detective Gordon that Lucy placed ads in the personal columns and answered one, offering to meet the client. She was to leave with this man, but took none of her clothes. Inspector Temple is alarmed when Sandra mentions Lucy’s good luck charm, an elephant bracelet, because it was mentioned in the latest poem. Temple then tests Sandra for her observational skills and keen insight, thinking of using her as a female detective. Temple tells Sandra she’ll be the bait to lure the murderer. Temple tells her to answer all the personal ads for unattached females. “We’ll write the replies, but you keep all the appointments,” Temple says. He warns the young girl of danger, but she’s not afraid. Temple hands her a small pistol. Sandra worries that she’ll shoot herself, and the chief replies she won’t because she’s on the force now.

Sandra answers more than her share of personal ads, which all turn out to be benign. However, one ad that she answers, while she sits alone in a restaurant, catches her attention. She spots a weird lurker through a window outside. While Sandra goes outside to view the night-time beauty of the River Thames, she is approached by kindly Charles van Druten (Boris Karloff), who announces he was the one who wrote the ad. He ascertains that she had no family. When she accepts the artist modeling job so quickly, van Druten turns suspicious, but Sandra says she needs the money. Fog surrounds the duo on the English bridge.

Immediately headed toward the artist’s studio, suspenseful music plays over long shadows on cobblestone streets. Ascending stairs, Druten asks the girl if she is afraid, “like the others,” and she silently keeps walking. Entering the studio, van Druten tells a woman named Matilda that Sandra is beautiful. And he points her to the dressing room. Matilda will assist her. Looking in a mirror, Druten announces, “You must excuse me for a moment while I must prepare myself!” In the past, Druten’s heart was broken by a designer competitor who took credit for the work he was designing for a princess. Sandra appears wearing an elaborate dress. Druten sees an imaginary packed audience behind a curtain in his studio, delusional, imagining that he’s at an ornate theater. “Her Excellency herself has just come in!” He yells at Matilda for orchestrating, and she plays a phonograph record. Soon, he opens the curtain to reveal a playhouse theater featuring a dog and dummies. “Thank you for your applause … please, please, you embarrass me …,” van Druten struts and announces. Matilda reveals he’s not dangerous if you humor him. “Tonight, I offer for your approval my latest creation …” and presents Sandra to an imaginary audience to show his creation off. Then van Druten breaks out with hysterical laughter and anger when the “orchestration” sticks. Displaying unbridled hate for Matilda for ruining his evening, he threatens her with a sword and locks her in a closet. Sandra attempts to flee the apartment as van Druten chases her with a sword and great speed. That same strange man appears outside his studio, once again lurking. The two shuffle, and van Druten falls down the stairs. The stranger stares silently through the window again, and Sandra finally flees.

Generally, most horror fans are familiar with every Boris Karloff movie and have seen them multiple times, but Lured is a forgotten title among them. Because he is not a major star in the film, he has a 15-minute sequence that can be considered stellar. Yes, in this Douglas Sirk-directed mystery, every component is heightened a notch upward for intensity, and so is Karloff’s performance. How he establishes himself as a gentleman, then morphs into someone horrifying, and finally, a man delusional in a quirky and violent way, is almost seamless. His voice and eyes do the acting; his facial expressions transform from gracious humility to outright rage, displaying the actor’s craft. And in many typical horror movies, he doesn’t have to showcase his expertise. His sequence, featuring only four characters plus props, is a Karloff performance to cherish. Also odd is the idea that the king of horror performs against the future queen of comedy in an oddly scary scene, which is quirky.

Sandra thinks she is entering a cab, but the driver only sits and stares until the oddball lurker approaches and is revealed to be Officer Barrett (George Zucco). The still-silent man grabs Sandra to quiet her down. “I know everything, Miss Carpenter,” Barrett mentions a litany of her past, revealing he’s been on the force for 29 years. Sandra, very upset about the ordeal, gets Barrett to admit he was checking to see if she could take it. “Wasn’t I there all the time?” Barrett adds, “With a little sleep, you’ll be ready for the next one.” Barrett says she should be more careful when she hands the gun to Sandra. Then, in a clever move, she hands him his pistol.

Meanwhile, Lyle Maxwell (Alan Mowbray), a sinister servant at Fleming’s home, writes a personal ad for an attractive, unattached lady to apply to 18 Kenilworth Square, Fleming’s home. Of course, Sandra applies, thinking it is an ad for a personal relationship, but it is for a parlor maid, which is strange since the ad was in the personals and wasn't a help-wanted ad. Maxwell ascertains she has no family or attachments and then offers, “This job won’t be as routine as you imagined. It has interesting possibilities for someone as attractive as you.” Sandra accepts the position. Out walking her dog, Sandra meets with Barrett. “The ladies butler has got ideas … he hasn’t even held my hand yet. But he does peak at me from around corners when he thinks I’m not looking.” Barrett is playing a crossword puzzle while speaking to Sandra. “What’s a six-letter word meaning ancient tyrant?” But Sandra has to run. Telephoning Temple, Sandra excitedly offers, “I think I run into plenty of something, Inspector. Three girls were here before me that left for parts unknown … the butler calls himself Maxwell, Lyle Maxwell.” Then Temple assigns her to meet a new personal ads client Monday night. Meanwhile, Temple digs up a file for Maxwell, who uses aliases and frequently leaves the country, being a very peculiar fellow.

Meeting by chance at a symphony, Fleming and Sandra talk about why she didn’t audition. “I’ll tell you why. I got a better job for the future with no red tape, at least not your kind. Thank you for the drink. I’m being paged …” Sandra converses with Barrett, admitting her “date” never showed, and Barrett wants to leave. Sandra says. “I want to stay and listen to an orchestra that I don’t have to dance to for a change,” Barrett asks another crossword question as they depart. While listening to the concert alone, she is paged that her car is waiting, and she exits. Going outside and seeing the car and servant, she is told that the caller cannot attend but wants to see her. She is driven to a fancy hotel party hosted by Fleming and Wilde. Fleming appears at the booth where she is seated. “I wanted you to see what you missed by snubbing me,” Fleming proclaims. Sandra overhears the man called “Fleming” and not his secretary. “My IQ must have been flying at half-staff, “ Sandra proclaims. Finally, Fleming offers a toast “to the man who did not show up.” He also stated that he could not remain until the concert's end because he had important plans for Sandra. “You didn’t write that letter … your technique is entirely different,” Sandra declares, smiling. Fleming asks Sandra to dance and continues showing her a good time, but she suddenly exits, thanking him written on a menu.

As Sandra spreads out on a couch, drinking tea, Maxwell interrupts Sandra, and she hurriedly rises. Maxwell states, “We talked of advancement, haven’t we? I watched you closely, and you’ve done very well. Tonight, you will meet a very influential friend of mine, Mr. Nicholas Moryani. If you make a good impression on him, your future is assured. You haven’t traveled much, have you? Have you never seen South America? Then Maxwell paints an idyllic picture of the continent for Sandra. “Mr. Moryani has it in his power to provide many opportunities for a deserving girl,” Baxter gushes, to which Sandra replies, “Gee, I can see myself in a setting like that.” Maxwell says the boat sails on Wednesday, but he dodges, saying the boat’s name until Sandra tricks him into revealing it.

Joining Maxwell for dinner, Moryani is introduced to Sandra and comes off as pompous and cold, barking orders. He asks her what she wants, and she replies, “Oh, a better job, more money, a little fun … what any girl wants.” Moryani tells Maxwell to send her away. He asks, “Who is she?” “Maxwell answers him, “… nobody, just an ordinary girl, pretty, smart.” To which Moryani blurts out, “Too smart! I don’t want her in the deal.” Maxwell is taken aback. Then, an angry Moryani accuses Maxwell of revealing the boat's name, when it was he who had done so. After meeting Fleming at the gathering, he asks, “What are you doing in that silly costume?” She avoids him for several reasons. Maxwell asks her to walk the dog, and Moryani spots and follows her outside. When he overhears her making a phone call to Scotland Yard in a private booth, non-sensibly, he’s almost at the booth, and she doesn’t see him, leaving the door open so anyone can hear. Acting friendly, Moryani offers to walk her home. Moryani suddenly erupts, asking her who she is calling, and receiving a false answer. He asks, shaking her, “What are you up to?” Sandra screams, and Fleming, leaving the gathering, hears her. The dog repeatedly yelps. Fleming breaks into a rough and ready fight with Moryani, Sandra warning him that he’s got a knife. But Fleming subdues him. Sandra and Fleming share a romantic embrace.

Later, in a meeting with her police partners and protectors, Sandra announces her engagement to Fleming, and they all congratulate her. Inspector Temple announces that his men are intercepting the ship and making arrests, breaking up operations in South America. Temple thanks her as she exits; her job is finished—or is it? Temple does not believe Scotland Yard would be warned of disappearing women before they disappear, along with letters and poetry. “No, gentlemen, we are not through,” the inspector says.

Sandra returns to Fleming’s abode with her newly bought clothes and is greeted warmly by Wilde. “Robert is a lucky fellow!” Sandra is introduced to the head servants as the future lady of the house. As Fleming shows her around, Wilde discovers a card that fell out of her purse, stating that Sandra is a police department employee. Before her engagement party, sinister music plays, and Wilde’s eyes dart suspiciously. Wilde takes down pictures of Fleming’s past paramours and places them in a drawer where Sandra finds a picture of Lucy Barnard. Lucy asks fearfully if Fleming knows Lucy, and he denies it. Temple, meeting Sandra, asks to speak to her alone, and he announces that he has received another poem that perfectly describes her dress tonight. Sandra states, “Looks like I’m next, doesn’t it?” The inspector finds the photo of Lucy and her bracelet. Temple questions Fleming, and Sandra reveals she worked with the police, Fleming feels used and rudely tricked. Temple wants to take him to the station immediately. It now seems that there is no reason for the party.

While Temple grills Fleming at headquarters, the investigation and questioning soon turn to Detective Gordon, as Fleming’s weariness and beard seem to grow. Fleming is caught with a Winchester typewriter, the one used to type the poems; the duplicate keys are out of alignment, and he uses the same stationery. The fingerprints found on Sandra’s dress match the ones on the letters and poems. Police soon dig up Fleming’s yard but find nothing. From an upstairs window, Wilde watches the police shovel, Wilde obviously in distress. Police soon find Lucy Barnard dead, strangled, and fished out of the water after two weeks. Fleming is called to identify the corpse. Temple says, “We had better luck dragging the river beds than digging in your garden.” Fleming is shortly put behind bars, talking to Wilde about getting the best lawyer and avoiding Sandra.

But Inspector Temple soon visits Julian Wilde and says, “I've been thinking about our discussion the other day … and I’ve concluded that you were right; Fleming is not guilty … too many facts. Facts must have psychological cement; in Fleming’s case, they haven’t.” Temple speaks of Fleming’s lust for life and people: “He doesn’t have to kill to win; our criminal does!” He describes a person who doesn’t meet women in public and has a robust fantasy life where he feels the need to murder beauty; Fleming, on the other hand, is very outgoing and social and appreciates beauty.” Mr. Wilde, may I have your copy of Baudelaire? … there’s a quotation I would like to read to you. Now listen to this: ‘A shrine of death and beauty is the sky, drowned in red blood. The sun gives up his breath. Don’t be afraid, my sweet, to die, for beauty is still more beautiful in death.’ Our criminal must have copied Baudelaire.” Then Temple declares that Fleming does not like Baudelaire and doesn’t appreciate poetry. Wilde appears increasingly unhinged as the conversation progresses. Calming himself, saying, “I assume that you are hinting that I might be the murderer.” The inspector accuses Wilde of jealousy and longing for Sandra Carpenter, to which Wilde admits the statement is true. Remaining composed, Wilde tells Temple that Fleming confessed to the police. Temple telephones the station briefly, admits to owing Wilde an apology, and abruptly exits. Immediately, Wilde booked airfare to Lisbon that very night.

Sandra abruptly appears. Wilde is waiting for a cab to go to the airport. “I couldn’t bear to be alone, Julian … Can I stay here for a little while?” Wilde obliges her. Sandra says Fleming is a good man. “A woman knows.” Sandra lies down on the couch as Julian dismisses the cab. Julian takes a few steps toward the door but then locks it, forgetting about the cab. Wilde tells her they will need the cab later “to go away together.” Wilde admits to Sandra that he hates Fleming because he thinks Fleming is cleverer than he is. “He couldn’t manage without me. That’s why he hated me.” Wilde’s sinister talk becomes terrifying when he loosens the tie. He promptly lunges at Sandra, who cries out for help. Barrett and Temple crash through the glass window and subdue Wilde while attending to Sandra. Wilde, exhausted, congratulates Temple, saying, “I was on guard against everyone but my soul.” As Julian is led outside, Temple admits Fleming’s confession was a ruse to get Wilde to confess. Fleming and Sandra are finally reunited.

Lured, as directed by Douglas Sirk, is a mainstream crowd-pleaser. The production has the budget, the stars, and the talent to be a hit, but strangely, the film never caught on with the public. After a bit of analysis, it's easy to see why. It was as though Sirk watched and studied numerous films in the mystery genre, making sure every button was pushed in the screenplay. But he was probably assigned this film; he never found an authentic feel for it. It is filmmaking by the numbers, as though Sirk was assembling a puzzle. He has his share of red herrings, beautiful victims, people who look guilty but are innocent, and those who are immediately judged by their screen stereotypes. Add this to moody photography and excellent set decoration, and we must have a hit, right? What Sirk has constructed is entirely mechanical, even down to its comic relief and gimmicky “winks” near the film’s beginning. The film lacks a personalized vision and passion, coming off as a by-the-numbers mystery. This is a good little movie, but it's pretty generic.

The one sequence with passion and vision is the short Boris Karloff sequence where, emotionally, we feel sorry for the abused Karloff and his delusions. Where he pretends to be proud of his accomplishments, he turns to frustration and anger, and seeing it all melt away is both sad and terrifying. This originality of vision is precisely what the film lacks, and this one sequence reminds us of that. Lured is a mediocre movie with one great sequence, and the funny thing is that the Karloff sequence has nothing to do with the rest of the film.

VAN DRUTEN (BORIS KARLOFF) SHOWS OFF HIS DESIGN WORK ON SANDRA (LUCILLE BALL) TO AN IMAGINARY CROWD.

OFFICER BARRETT (GEORGE ZUCCO), WORKING ON A CROSSWORD PUZZLE, MEETS WITH SANDRA (LUCILLE BALL).