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The Big Bluff

The Big Bluff

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Summary

A con man marries a terminally ill rich widow for her fortune, but when she recovers, he is forced to consider murder. Crime thriller, starring John Bromfield and Martha Vickers

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IMDB

Review

A star rating of 3 out of 5.

David Parkinson

It's safe to say that W Lee Wilder was not on a par with his younger brother, Billy, but some of the postwar Bs he produced for his Planet Filmplays company are highly entertaining. Here, the underrated Martha Vickers channels her inner Bette Davis as Valerie Bancroft, a widowed New York socialite with a precarious heart condition who embarks upon a whirlwind holiday romance with Los Angeles gigolo Ricardo De Villa (John Bromfield). He plans to fleece her so he can start again with married dancer. Paid companion Marsha Jordan (Eve Miller) is aware of Valerie's condition, however, and she tries to convince doctor Peter Kirk (Robert Hutton) that foul play is afoot. Suspense isn't a priority here, but Wilder chronicles Ricardo's charismatic schmoozing with a sly wit that is underscored by the display of vulnerable vanity that makes Vickers's behaviour all the more comprehensible and reckless.

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5.8/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameRicardo De VillaJohn BromfieldValerie BancroftMartha VickersDr Peter KirkRobert HuttonFritzie DarvelRosemarie StackMarsha JordanEve Miller

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Crew

rolenameDirectorW Lee Wilder

Details

Released on

1955-06-29

Languages

English

Formats

Black and white

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