Strange Illusion

1945
Approved
1h 27m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Sally Eilers, Jimmy Lydon, and Warren William in Strange Illusion (1945)

Film Noir Suspense Mystery Crime Drama Mystery

After Paul has bizarre dreams about a faceless, sinister man, he suspects the man who is courting his Mother has ulterior motives.After Paul has bizarre dreams about a faceless, sinister man, he suspects the man who is courting his Mother has ulterior motives.After Paul has bizarre dreams about a faceless, sinister man, he suspects the man who is courting his Mother has ulterior motives.

Director
- Edgar G. Ulmer
Writers
- Adele Comandini
- Fritz Rotter
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Edgar G. Ulmer
Writers
- Adele Comandini
- Fritz Rotter
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos

Top cast18

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Jimmy Lydon

Paul Cartwright
(as James Lydon)

Sally Eilers

Virginia Cartwright

Warren William

Brett Curtis

Regis Toomey

Dr. Vincent

Charles Arnt

Professor Muhlbach

George Reed

Benjamin
(as George H. Reed)

Jayne Hazard

Dorothy Cartwright

Jimmy Clark

George Hanover

Mary McLeod

Lydia

Pierre Watkin

Wallace Armstrong - District Attorney

Sonia Sorel

Charlotte Farber

Victor Potel

Mac - Game Warden
(as Vic Potel)

George Sherwood

Langdon

Gene Roth

Police Detective Sparks
(as Gene Stutenroth)

John Hamilton

Bill Allen - Bank President

Edmund Cobb

Police Driver
(uncredited)

Theresa Harris

Maid
(uncredited)

Charles Wagenheim

Tom
(uncredited)

Director
- Edgar G. Ulmer
Writers
- Adele Comandini
- Fritz Rotter
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Draws on the plot of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Hamlet's plot involves a Danish Prince who tries to exact revenge against his uncle, who has murdered the Prince's father in order to seize his throne and marry his mother. While Strange Illusion is by no means completely faithful to the original Shakespeare story-line - the character Ophelia doesn't exist here, and the tragic finale is replaced with a happy ending. In any case, Ulmer's film remains a fascinating attempt at re-imagining Shakespeare's Hamlet. Here, he is young Paul who lives in bucolic Southern California next to exclusive private schools and toney country clubs. To this, the plot adds a bit more - the protagonist admits himself into an insane asylum. This allows time for our scheming director Edgar G. Ulmer to amp up the cinematic tension, with added touches and moody lighting effects.

Goofs
When Brett is watching Lydia in the swimming pool, his body position changes in three successive shots from differing angles.

Quotes
[first lines]
Paul Cartwright: I'm Paul Cartwright, my father was Judge Albert Cartwright, once lieutenant governor of the state, he was killed two years ago in a mysterious accident. We were not only father and son, but friends. The shock of his violent death still haunts my mind, my nights are troubled by strange dreams.

Connections
Featured in Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen (2004)

User reviews42

Review

Featured review

traditional old mystery with modern undercurrents

I enjoyed this movie despite it's weaknesses, which at times it feels like a "B" movie technically. For example, at one point the main character is watching from the sanitarium window a car exiting the driveway but his head is not following the movement of the car properly which means it was a matte shot and it looks odd. Also the mother sometimes looks the same or younger than her daughter.

However, my interest was held from beginning to the end. I cared enough about the characters to want to see how they came out of it all.

The movie is in the category of a traditional mystery/drama, but the son's obsession with destroying his mother's fiancee gives the film an interesting suggestive undercurrent. Whether this was intentional, or just viewing it from a modern perspective, I can't say.