Undercurrent (1946)

60% of users liked it
(390 ratings)

A change of pace for both director Vincente Minnelli and star Katharine Hepburn, this taut drama features the latter as Ann Hamilton, the daughter of a scientist (Edmund Gwenn), who after a whirlwind romance marries handsome but slightly mysterious inventor turned businessman Alan Garroway (Robert… More A change of pace for both director Vincente Minnelli and star Katharine Hepburn, this taut drama features the latter as Ann Hamilton, the daughter of a scientist (Edmund Gwenn), who after a whirlwind romance marries handsome but slightly mysterious inventor turned businessman Alan Garroway (Robert Taylor). But wedded bliss proves short-lived when Garroway refuses to discuss his brother Michael, whose presence is felt constantly despite the mystery surrounding his whereabouts. The missing Michael becomes an obsession for Ann, whose curiosity is piqued even more after a chance encounter with Sylvia Burton (Jayne Meadows), a young woman who figures in the lives of both brothers and who displays a strange resemblance to Ann herself. Despite Alan's dire misgivings, Ann feels compelled to solve the mystery of Michael, until, that is, she discovers that Alan may very well have murdered his own brother. Undercurrent marked the screen debut of Jayne Meadows and a breakthrough of sorts for Robert Mitchum, whom M-G-M borrowed from David O. Selznick for a reputed $25,000. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Vincente Minnelli
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Nov 28, 1946 Wide
On DVD: May 29, 2007
Studio: MGM

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Minnelli's first foray into film noir is marred by the casting of Katharine Hepburn as a frail woman, married to a psychopath (Robert Taylor, also miscast) but attracted to his sensitive brother (Robert Mitchum!)
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Crime thriller with many strange undercurrents itself.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It successfully takes on the theme from Gaslight.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

hepburn is oddly cast in a menaced woman role but that helps make it interesting viewing.
Eric H

Upon it's release in 2000, Jonathan Mostow's "U571" was panned by many for it's rewriting of World War 2 history. In Mostow's version of events the crew of an American submarine are responsible for breaking the Nazi enigma code. In reality it had been… More
Upon it's release in 2000, Jonathan Mostow's "U571" was panned by many for it's rewriting of World War 2 history. In Mostow's version of events the crew of an American submarine are responsible for breaking the Nazi enigma code. In reality it had been cracked by a team of British and American scientists. Hollywood's WWII revisionism began a lot earlier though. In this 1946 movie Taylor's inventor is credited with inventing a machine which won the war. It's hard to buy Taylor as a scientist, he was one of those actors whose fame seemed to be solely based around the fact he looked good in a suit. If he was any more wooden the crew would have to sweep up sawdust after each take. Pairing him with an actress so full of life as Hepburn does him no favors. You would never guess she was five years older than Taylor, a casting choice which is rare even in today's supposedly more liberated Hollywood. The movie feels somewhat like a changing of the guard, stiff actors like Taylor were dying out, being replaced by a new breed of more naturalistic performers like his costars Hepburn and Mitchum. By Minnelli's standards this is average fare, a ripoff of Hitchcock's "Suspicion" but sadly lacking a leading man of Cary Grant's charisma. Thankfully Hepburn gets the lion's share of screen time as scenes which don't feature her fall flat. Minnelli does his best to keep things interesting and in lesser hands it would be a rather plodding affair. His love of music plays a part in the form of a recurring Brahms melody which ultimately bonds Hepburn and Mitchum together. Minnelli is of course known most of all for his lavish use of color but he equally knows how to get the most from black and white. Here he works with the great cinematographer Karl Freund to produce some striking monochrome images. A scene involving a knocked over lamp is particularly impressive, creating a shadow and light dynamic which serves to heighten the scene. It pales in comparison to similar melodramatic thrillers like "Suspicion" and "Leave Her To Heaven" but fans of the sub genre will find it worthwhile.

Cast

            Katharine Hepburn as Ann Hamilton

            Robert Taylor as Alan Garroway

            Robert Mitchum as Michael Garroway

            Edmund Gwenn as Prof. Dink Hamilton

            Marjorie Main as Lucy

            Jayne Meadows as Sylvia Lea Burton

            Clinton Sundberg as Mr. Warmsley

            Dan Tobin as Prof. Joseph Bangs

            Kathryn Card as Mrs. Foster

            Leigh Whipper as George

            Charles Trowbridge as Justice Putnam

            James Westerfield as Henry Gilson

            Monya Andre as Saleswoman

            Jean Andren as Mrs. Davenport

            Sylvia Andrew as Nora

            Barbara Billingsley as Guest

            Betty Blythe
            
            Bill Cartledge as Messenger

            Wheaton Chambers as Proprietor

            Dorothy Christy
            
            Frank Dae as 2nd Man

            Helen Eby-Rock as Fitter

            Sarah Edwards as Manager

            Ella Ethridge
            
            Florence Fair
            
            Bess Flowers
            
            Eula Guy as Housekeeper

            Ernest Hilliard
            
            Hazel Keener
            
            Milt Kibbee as Minister

            Frank Leigh
            
            Victor McLaglen as Uncle Ben

            Harold Miller
            
            Bert Moorhouse as lst Man

            Clive Morgan
            
            Jack Murphy
            
            Forbes Murray as Sen. Edwards

            Robert E. O'Connor as Stationmaster

            Gordon Richards as Headwaiter

            Ellen Ross as Gwen

            Reginald Simpson
            
            Joan Thorsen
            
            Laura Treadwell
            
            Hank Worden as Attendant

            Phil Dunham as Elevator Man

            Oliver Cross
            
            James Carlisle
            
            David Cavendish
            
            Jane Green as Woman

            Ann Lawrence
            
            Rudy Rama as Headwaiter

            Dick Earle
            
            William Eddritt as Butler

            Nina Ross
            
See full cast