The Spiral Staircase

The Spiral Staircase (1946)

  • 92% of critics liked it
    (13 reviews)

  • 77% of users liked it
    (2,821 ratings)

The wonderfully suspenseful psychological drama Spiral Staircase is the prototype of the "old dark house, lady in distress" thriller, full of dark corners, flickering candles and featuring a mysterious, menacing killer whose true identity remains hidden until the end. Helen Capel (Dorothy McGuire),… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 23 min.
Directed By
Robert Siodmak
Written By
Mel Dinelli
Genres
Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Classics
In Theaters
Feb 6, 1946 Wide
On DVD
Jul 11, 2000

Critic Reviews

  • Staci Layne Wilson, Horror.com

    This dated old chestnut definitely wouldn't hold up as-is for today's audiences, but for fans of classic cinema it's well worth a look.

  • Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

    Erected on expressionistic Gothic menace

  • Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

    Psychological drama has its share of chills; led by Dorothy McGuire standout.

  • Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television

    Complex thriller with rich style.

  • David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

    ...the majority of the film's running time [is] bogged down in the dull exploits of several uninteresting characters.

Read all 7 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • vieras e


    Noticeably less eventful than one might expect, but by no means boring, with an unsurprising ending. The cinematography, however, is almost to die for.

  • jay n


    Excellent chiller with an outstanding Dorothy McGuire in the lead. Fantastically moody settings and a real sense of dread permeates the proceedings under Siodmak's solid direction. It's the women in the cast who stand out here, aside from McGuire there's a young and… More

  • Randy T


    An atmospheric whodunit that has very little to do with a spiral staircase. Someone is knocking off women with 'imperfections'. A woman with a scar on her face, a 'simple minded thing', a cripple... and now, someone is trying to kill Helen (Dorothy McGuire),… More

  • Stella D


    good creepy thriller in a spooky old mansion

Cast

See full cast

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