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Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

The penultimate feature made in Ophüls' transitory active stint in Hollywood (from 1947 to1049, 4 features totally), CAUGHT is an unconcealed reproach of the hidebound "marrying rich" indoctrination that poisons beautiful young women (from less affluent background) into taking it as their sole goal in life. The specimen under analysis is an unassuming young model Leonora Eames (Bel Geddes), who admittedly isn't cut out to be a devout gold-digger, however, by way of sheer serendipity she falls in with just the right target, the multi-millionaire Smith Ohlrig (Ryan), but their rushed matrimony doesn't augur well, as it is Smith's spur-of-the-moment decision to willfully contradict his headshrinker, only Leonora would have known better. Blatantly modeled after Howard Hughes, Smith is a callous, high-handed megalomania, incessantly suffered from psychosomatic angina when he cannot get what he wants. After a fallout, Leonora strikes out on her own, leaving their august mansion and starting to work as a secretary of Dr. Larry Quinada (Mason, in his stateside debut), a man who is the antithesis of Smith, mutual attraction sizzles during their working/after-working time, but to extricate herself from an abusive marriage, she has everything to sacrifice, including an unborn baby. The film's espousal of pro-choice is a gallant coup-de-thêàtre transpiring as the exit route to the ill-sorted nuptial pairing, yet it is so emphatically abrupt, to a point it almost demonizes Larry for semi-foisting her in such a dazed state, and foreshadows their future in the end, which is not exactly a happy one one might foresee. Entrusted with a very sympathetic role as the gaslighted wife who is caught into a snare, objectified as a rich man's property and agonized by his contempt and sneer, Barbara Bel Geddes handsomely struts her stuff in manifesting disparate layers of Leonora's emotional states, to a terrific impression. Regarding to the two dichotomy of her male co-stars, James Mason looks exquisitely dashing under the noir-ish shade, but as usual, it is the villain strikes gold, Robert Ryan effectively reveals a rough edge in his character and doesn't relent even in those tender moments, a monster crystallized by his own obstinance, vanity and oceanic ego, and he knows it too well to readdress his atrocity. Last but definitely not the least, what leaves a viewer profoundly awestruck is Ophüls under-appreciated (at least in its time) modality in his dexterity of unspooling the story, economy is judiciously achieved by applying newspaper tidings to inform the narrative's progression, not to mention those majestic-looking shots enriched by sublime composition, unconventional depth of field and transcendent chiaroscuro, often in gliding tracking shots meticulously choreographed by an invisible but steady hand. To all intents and purposes, CAUGHT is a neglected beauty needs to be dusted off from its ill-fated obscurity.

CAUGHT is a rather dated, low budget movie that straddles the romance, melodrama, and film noir genres. It fits into a genre of films that were popular back in the 1940s, invariably involving a young woman who marries a husband, little knowing that he's hiding a dark and murderous secret. CAUGHT is a very restrained addition to that genre that unfortunately plays its material in a very subtle fashion.Meanwhile, the viewer is bogged down with extended romance scenes and plenty of over the top acting as new bride Barbara Bel Geddes fights with her husband Robert Ryan. Unfortunately, nothing much happens and 90% of the film consists of characters just arguing with each other. There is a central moral dilemma that arises at the climax but by that stage it's too little, too late.The cast is the most interesting thing about this, although DALLAS actress Bel Geddes has to be playing one of the most insipid heroines from this era. Robert Ryan (INFERNO) is much better, delivering a restrained turn as the evil husband, while James Mason is cast against type as a humble doctor who becomes the love interest. Still, you'd have to be massive fan of this era of film-making to enjoy this one.

Caught is directed by Max Ophüls and adapted to screenplay by Arthur Laurents from the novel Wild Calendar written by Libbie Block. It stars Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Ryan, James Mason, Frank Ferguson and Curt Bois. Music is by Frederick Hollander and cinematography by Lee Garmes. Seeking to make a comfy nest by marrying a rich man, Leonora Eames (Geddes) snags more than she bargained for when Smith Ohlrig (Ryan) becomes the man of her life. And then circumstance brings Doctor Larry Quinada (Mason) in to her life and things will never be the same again... Psychological swirls a go go in this fine piece of work. Story was changed somewhat by Ophüls after he was brought in as a last directing throw of the dice. Softening the harsh edges of Leonora's original persona on the page, he brings about a sort of piggy in the middle scenario. On one side she has a tyrant control freak of a husband, on the other she has a good honest gentleman doctor keen to impart his love to her life. It sounds an easy choice to make, but circumstance, the vagaries of noirish fate - of life affirming decisions, doesn't make this a straight forward narrative piece. Smith Ohlrig is based on Howard Hughes, who surprisingly didn't kick up too much of a fuss once the word got out. This is one troubled character, mean and controlling, superbly portrayed by a chilling Robert Ryan, it's just a pity there isn't time in the piece for more of Ryan's forceful nastiness. The best scenes feature Ryan, the shamble of the marriage is adroitly filmed by Ophüls around the gloomy Ohlrig mansion, with reverse shots, perception tinkerings and isolated shadow play emphasising the relationship from hell - the impact of Lee Garmes' (Nightmare Alley) photography and the art direction of Frank Paul Sylos (The Great Flamarion) also not to be under estimated. Leonora is a well written character, it would have been easy to have her as weak willed and spineless, but there's a strong feminist bent afforded her by the makers, giving her some guts and intelligence to off set the desperate situation she will find herself in later in the play. Geddes ticks all the right boxes for the emotional requirements of the role, never over doing the histrionics. Mason saunters into the pic with a grace and elegance that made the American market sit up and take notice, a class act and he fits the role perfectly. Ophüls steers this one admirably throughout, arriving at a culminating finale that's guaranteed to make you have conflicting feelings. 8/10

A fairly good plot becomes mired in an ending which is most callous. It is hard to fathom that any writer could state that death of a baby would virtually set a woman free from a horrible marriage.Barbara Bel Geddes was our Cinderella here and believe me, she wished she had never met her Prince Charming- Robert Ryan, wealthy, rotten and vicious to the core. When she flees Ryan's millionaire misery, she falls for the doctor she goes to work for as a receptionist.The movie would have been far better had it become a murder mystery. So many would have wanted to do away with the Ryan character. He is really despicable here, as well as totally off the wall. As is, at the end of the film we want to know why we didn't do away with the writing.