The Lost Moment (1947)
Directed by Martin Gabel

Film Review

An inspired adaptation of Henry James' The Aspern Papers, The Lost Moment sustains its stifling aura of Gothic mystique and oppression through a combination of impressive set design, lighting and camerawork, all of which contribute to a dreamlike experience of the most chilling kind.  Whilst it is now considered one of the classiest and most effective of Universal's long run of horror films - which began with Wallace Worsley's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and featured all manner of ghouls from vampires to lycanthropes - it was ill-received by the critics on its first release and was, incredibly, a massive box office flop. 

Robert Cummings is suitably cast as the handsome but ambiguous hero who becomes lured, initially by greed, into a cobwebbed nest of intrigue, with Susan Hayward demonstrating her range in two contrasting character portrayals - one dead amongst the living, the other living amongst the dead.  At the time the film was made, most of the media attention was focused not on its two stars, but on Agnes Moorehead, convincingly made up to look like a 105-year-old woman - shockingly repulsive thanks to one of Universal's most effective make-up jobs. 

The studio reconstruction of Venice is remarkable in its scale and detail but what most sells the film is the deliciously eerie mansion in which most of the drama takes place.  Every part of the old house reeks with an ancient menace which not only imbues the narrative with an unsettling sense of impending tragedy but also guides it towards its suitably spectacular denouement.  It's not quite in the same league as Jack Clayton's utterly terrifying The Innocents (1961), another superb Henry James adaptation, but thanks to Martin Gabel's canny direction and the measured lead performances, it is just as atmospheric and compelling.

Film Synopsis

New York publisher Lewis Venable travels to Venice in the hope of acquiring a set of priceless love letters written by the 19th century poet Jeffrey Ashton to his devoted paramour Juliana Bordereau.  Through a living poet, Venable learns that Juliana is, remarkably, still alive, aged 105.  By assuming the identity of a writer, he persuades the old woman to rent him a room in her crumbling Venice mansion, although he receives a cold reception from her young niece, Tina.  By gaining Juliana's confidence, Venable sees an opportunity to lay his hands on the precious love letters, but he soon realises he has been drawn into a terrible family tragedy.  One evening, he hears piano music and is lured to a deserted part of the house where, to his surprise, he sees Tina dressed as Juliana was in her youth.  Tina believes she is Juliana and mistakes Venable for her lover...