The Woman in White (1948)

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Siskoid
1948's The Woman in White takes Wilkie Collins' brick of an early novel (I don't mean for him, I mean in the history of novels full stop) and manages to keep it contained at 1h49. This results in a couple of clumsy info-dumps and skips in time, but for the most part, the strong cast, gorgeous literary language, and Gothic atmosphere keep the film on the rails. The weakest part is the love story, which tends to melodrama, and which suffers some unnecessary changes from the book that really smack of Hollywood politics. The best parts usually have to do with Sydney Greenstreet as the genial yet sinister Count Fosco (no slow burn here), who is practically given mental powers in the way scenes are shot (totally in line with the Gothic), and John Abbott as the hilarious uncle whose nervous disposition out nervouses Vincent Price's turn as the similar patriarch in House of Usher (also shout-out to his long-suffering servant Louis). The twinning of Eleanor Parker is impressive too. Subtle differences in make-up (?) made me wonder if they were too actresses, especially during the scene of Parker at her own bedside. This version of The Woman in White has some flaws, but its qualities more than make up for them. 4 years 5 months ago