THE PROWLER (1951)

Dalton Trumbo secretly wrote the screenplay for THE PROWLER (1951) under an assumed name. Because Trumbo was BLACKLISTED, he gave the WRITING CREDIT to friend/ screenwriter Hugo Butler. Despite being BLACKLISTED, Trumbo continued to write SCREENPLAYS for films UNDER THE RADAR using names of SCREENWRITERS as fronts like Hugo Butler, Millard Kauffman, Guy Endore, and Sally Stubblefield who took the credit. Trumbo also wrote under pseudonyms like Robert Rich and Felix Lutzkendorf.

Our Film Noir begins with a PEEPING TOM  or PROWLER  catching a glimpse of a HALF- NAKED woman  ( Evelyn Keyes)  wrapped in a bath towel. The TERRIFIED woman had been taking a BATH with the WINDOW OPEN and the SHADE UP. Immediately she closes the shade, SHOCKED that someone was LEERING  at her from the OUTSIDE.

Police Officer Garwood (Van Heflin) and his partner answer the distressed call of the alleged VOYEUR act in a WEALTHY  neighborhood in Southern California. Emerging from the doorway of her Spanish style home, Susan Gilvray (Evelyn Keyes) now dressed in a bathrobe tells the police officers of her terrifying ordeal. Officer Garwood checks out the EMPTY lot where THE PROWLER was last seen for FOOTPRINTS. No footprints were detected because the grass had been cut. Officer Garwood wonders if this DAMSEL IN DISTRESS has an angle. 

According to Officer Garwood's partner, Susan Gilray is MARRIED to a rich retired crackpot who works for the fun of it. Maybe Susan Gilvray is just a LONELY DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE.  An hour later, Officer Webb Garwood drops in alone to see if THE PROWLER  has returned. Susan seemed surprised to see Officer Garwood twice in the same night. Officer Webb Garwood explains that it is routine to make CHECK -UP calls especially when women are CONCERNED  and ALONE. Susan offers Officer Garwood a cup of coffee which he accepts.

During their conversation, Officer Webb Garwood learns that Susan is HAPPILY MARRIED, but he doesn't believe it. Every night  Susan is ALONE because her husband works the GRAVEYARD SHIFT as a Radio Announcer. Officer Webb Garwood make a SUBTLE PASS at the LONELY DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE before he leaves , telling her that he'll DROP BY every once in a while to make sure everything is okay. 

Webb Garwood seems to be making himself AVAILABLE night after night since the PROWLER incident to the LONELY DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE. Spending time with another man's wife, eating his food, and drinking his liquor doesn't seem to bother Webb Garwood any. In fact, he even hinted to Susan about SMOKING his cigarettes. But Susan is not able to get the CARTON OF CIGARETTES, because he keeps them LOCKED up in the secretarial. In desperate need of a cigarette, Webb uses one of Susan's bobby pins to UNLOCK the secretarial. Meanwhile, Susan goes to the kitchen to REFRESHEN  their drinks. Once Webb UNLOCKED the secretarial, he DISCOVERS more than a CARTON OF CIGARETTES. Webb decides to do a little SNOOPING  while Susan was out of the room. Webb UNCOVERS the LAST WILL and TESTAMENT of Susan's husband.

When Susan returns back to the parlor with some fresh drinks, Webb RELOCKS the secretarial. Webb says nothing to Susan about what he discovered, instead, he decides to probe into her PRIVATE LIFE. He learns that Susan maybe MARRIED to a WEALTHY man and live in an LUXURY home, but she is not happy like he suspected. Susan wanted CHILDREN but her husband is STERILE.

LINES BECOME BLURRED when Webb makes UNWANTED ADVANCES towards the LONELY DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE. Susan pulls away from Webb's clutches and says" You're REAL a COP, aren't you? You want EVERYTHING for FREE." It seems PLAYTIME is Over and the LONELY DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE demands her Guest to leave her house. 

However, Webb DOESN'T WANT to LEAVE, he's just getting started with the PARLOR GAMES. Webb leans in and pulls Susan close to him. Susan PULLS BACK and STRIKES Webb across the face. Webb seems a bit CONFUSED  wondering WHY this LONELY DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE has INVITED  him NIGHT AFTER NIGHT if she didn't want a PIECE OF THE ACTION. Susan continues to STRIKE Webb OVER and Over for thinking she was CHEAP. Finally, Webb gets the message and leaves. Susan bellows out to Webb NOT to come back.

The next evening, Webb RETURNS, this time in his policeman's uniform. Susan agrees to listen to his APOLOGY. Once inside, Webb plays on the desperate housewife's LONELINESS by SLOW DANCING with her in the parlor. Before long the LONELY DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE melts into Webb's arms like butter. Webb's lips move in closer to hers. Susan BEGGED Webb to STOP softly then SURRENDERED.

Sometime afterward, Webb notices that LONELY DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE has a PISTOL. Susan tells Webb that her husband bought her it for PROTECTION because of the PROWLER incident. Webb INFORMS Susan that his VACATION starts to tomorrow and he wants her to come away with him to Las Vegas. He wants to show her a MOTOR COURT that he plans to own someday. Susan DECLINES his offer, but Webb doesn't take NO for an answer. He tells Susan that he will meet her at the AIRPORT at 7:00 tomorrow night.

After being STOOD UP at the AIRPORT, Webb decides to VISIT Susan. Once there, Webb PULLS UP in the driveway and HONKS the HORN. But Susan is NOT alone. Her Husband is asleep on a twin bed beside hers. Susan immediately climbs out of bed and meets Webb outside. Susan tells Webb that her husband SUSPECTS her of having an AFFAIR. Susan continues to say if her husband ever catches her with ANOTHER MAN. He would KILL her and then himself. 

Suddenly Susan could hear her husband stirring about and calling for her. Susan ANSWERS BACK that she's in the kitchen. Her husband calls back asking if she was ALONE because he could hear VOICES. Before returning to her husband, Susan tells her UNDERCOVER LOVER that they better call it quits.

After a BRIEF Separation, Susan comes GROVELING back to Webb ASKING him to TAKE HER AWAY wherever he wants. Susan DECLARES  her love for WEBB and told him that she BEGGED and PLEADED her husband for a DIVORCE. Nevertheless, Susan's husband won't grant her a DIVORCE under any conditions ever.

Webb tries to CONVINCE Susan that he could NEVER  give her the LIFESTYLE that she has grown accustomed to. Susan replies that she doesn't care about material things. Webb concludes his agreement why it wouldn't work, stating that they would be forever LIVING IN SIN and could never be MAN and WIFE.
However, Webb has a PLAN which he does not share with Susan. A plan to permanently REMOVE Susan's husband FOREVER.

That evening, Webb puts his PLAN into ACTION. Dressed in his POLICEMAN uniform, Webb parks his PATROL CAR across the street from Susan's house. He heads behind the house and CUTS  the screen door looking like someone trying BREAK IN. Then Webb FANS the gate making noises to purposely awake the OCCUPANTS in the house. When Webb RETURNS to his PATROL CAR, he receives a DISPATCH that a PROWLER is causing a disturbance at Susan's address.

The CYNICAL COP returns to Susan's house, making more noises which prompts Susan's husband to come outside. Susan's husband ARMED with a GUN looking for THE PROWLER  or maybe his wife's LOVER. Webb CONCEALS himself in the nearby bushes for the right moment. Suddenly Webb SPRINGS to his feet and hollers HALT. Susan's husband was taken by SURPRISED and shot in COLD BLOOD. Swiftly the CYNICAL COP acts with more intentions of  MALICE removing the GUN from Susan's DEAD  Husband's hand and SHOTS himself in the ARM. 

After hearing the GUNSHOTS, Susan came running out of the house. Susan couldn't believe her eyes, seeing her UNDERCOVER  LOVER hovering over her DEAD HUSBAND. Immediately, Susan starts POUNDING on her UNDERCOVER LOVER  and then mutters "YOU,YOU, YOU." Susan felt helpless that her UNDERCOVER LOVER could have KILLED her husband in COLD BLOOD.

At the hearing, Susan calls her UNDERCOVER LOVER a MURDERER while he was giving his FRAUDULENT testimony. Webb continues to lie UNDEROATH stating that he NEVER saw Susan before that FATAL night. However, Webb's partner Bud 's testimony states otherwise, that they were called out on a PROWLER incident at Susan's residence two months ago. 

When Susan takes the STAND, she decides to commit PERJURY instead of telling the TRUTH. Instead of exposing Webb as her husband's killer, she aligns her story with his, stating that she NEVER met him before until the night of the SHOOTING. Susan continues to say that she believes the SHOOTING was an ACCIDENT. Seemingly enough the JURY bought into the act of the GRIEVING WIDOW  and goes with ACCIDENTAL HOMICIDE.

After some time, Webb decides to visits Susan's brother in law telling him that he QUIT  the police force after the ACCIDENTAL HOMICIDE. Webb also adds that he tried to make things right with Susan but she REFUSES  to see him. Finally, Susan does agree to see Webb although she believes he MURDERED her husband IN COLD BLOOD. Webb REASSURES Susan that her husband 's death was indeed an ACCIDENT, not PREMEDIATED. Webb VOWS that he will NEVER  touch a GUN again.

Months later,  Webb and Susan tie- the - knot, which leads a reporter to raise the question of whether they should be MARRIED. The newly married couple head to LAS VEGAS for their HONEYMOON.  While on the HONEYMOON. Webb gets his dream fulfilled when he purchases a MOTOR COURT with his wife's money. Webb and Susan move into the owner's apartment. While UNPACKING Susan discovers a GUN in Webb's suitcase. 

Later Susan DROPS the BABY BOMB on her NEW husband telling him that she's 4 months PREGNANT. At first, Webb was excited about being an expecting father but then he realizes that everything he SCHEMED  and KILLED for could go UP IN SMOKE. Questions would be raised about the TIME SPAN of CONCEPTION and the fact that Susan's husband couldn't have children.

Webb convinces Susan that they could be CONVICTED of MURDER because of the pregnancy. Susan wants to

  disappear for a while to somewhere SECLUDED for she can give  BIRTH to her BABY. Webb remembers his partner  Budd talking about  GHOST TOWN in Calico. Before long Webb and Susan head to Budd's Ghost town. Once there, they make accommodations in one of the ABANDON building.

That evening Susan starts to suffer from complications. Webb opens up his suitcase and takes out a GUN. Webb informs Susan that he's going to the nearest town to fetch a doctor. Susan became horrified of what Webb may do with that Gun. She calls out to stop her husband but there was no stopping Webb because he was on a mission.

Before reaching the nearest town, Webb stops to SMEAR mud on his license plate. When Webb finally finds a doctor, he refuses to go with him, until Webb showed his police badge. The doctor followed Webb in his own car back to the GHOST TOWN.

After the EXAM, the doctor PREDICTED that the baby would arrive within the hour. Susan becomes frightened that Webb intends to kill the doctor once the baby is born. Susan now sees what kind of man she married. The kind who would COMMIT MURDER to get what he wants.

Webb visits with Susan alone, while the doctor steps outside for some fresh air. Susan takes the opportunity to REMIND Webb that he promised that he would NEVER touch a GUN again. Susan continues to CONFRONTS Webb with her SUSPICIONS about him eliminating the doctor. Webb laughs it off and tells Susan that she's CRAZY. Susan goes further suggesting that Webb MURDERED her husband. Webb agreed and that's its common knowledge because it's on PUBLIC RECORD.

That morning Susan gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Consumed with fear, Susan INFORMS  the doctor on what her husband has in store for him. While Webb looks in on Susan, the doctor ESCAPES with the baby. Webb dashes out, after hearing the sound of car's motor. Webb was unable to follow the doctor because the keys to his car were not in the ignition.

Remembering there was a SPARE key, Webb runs back inside searching desperately for it. Susan admits to telling the doctor that Webb intended to kill him. Amidst the quarreling, Susan learns that Webb murdered her husband for the insurance money of 62,000.00. Susan was so disgusted that she threw the car key she was hiding on to the floor. Webb immediately retrieves the key and heads to the car. 

Webb barrels down the dirt road full throttle. Suddenly Webb is confronted with another vehicle that is blocking his way out. It's his old partner Bud and his wife. Bud is not interested in reconnecting with OLD FRIENDS and demand that they back up. Webb starts to ram Bud's car because he's not moving fast enough. Then  Webb could see some police cars racing up the road.

 Webb decides to head back to the GHOST TOWN  where he deserted Susan. Desperately with nowhere to go. Web tries to escape on foot. Policemen burst on the scene on foot with guns. Higher and higher, Webb scales the steep sand hill trying to elude the law.

One of the police officers shouted HALT three times before he fired his gun. Webb ALMOST reached the top of the hill but was SHOT in the back. Webb's DEAD body fell backward and slid down the hill. Susan watched the whole thing play out from the window. Susan did not feel REMORSE for the DEATH of her SECOND husband. She only felt the JUSTICE was finally served for the MURDER of her first husband.

                      FILM FACTS

 Dalton Trumbo used his screenwriter friend  Hugo Butler as a front in writing the script to THE PROWLER (1951) because he was BLACKLISTED.

Dalton Trumbo's voice can be heard as the radio announcer / Susan Givray's husband in THE PROWLER (1951).

               IMMORTAL DIALOGUE 

"Well if I was you, I would keep the CURTAIN CLOSED. Ever notice in a BANK, they always keep the COUNTING room out of sight for the CUSTOMERS won't be TEMPTED."

"No FOOTPRINTS out here. The GRASS has just been CUT,  and they'd be hard to spot. And again, maybe the LADY is IMAGINING things."

         Radio Announcer: " I'll be SEEING YOU, Susan."  
   

                   "To stay away from MEN like YOU."

" I know, Baby, I know. It's TOO RISKY for you. way too RISKY."

           " Oh Webb, Take me away. Wherever you want ."

                                 "YOU, YOU, YOU."

               FABRICATED DIALOGUE

" Don't worry, My husband likes it when I ENTERTAIN OTHER MEN when he's NOT HOME ."

                     " Gee, your HAIR smells TERRIFIC !!"

" What kind of FOOL do you think I'am? I told you I didn't SHOOT MYSELF in the arm on PURPOSE ."

                         THE CAST
                      Webb Ganson -Van Heflin
                       Susan Gilvray - Evelyn Keyes
                      Bud Crocker - John Maxwell
                       Grace Crocker - Katherine Warren
                      William Gilvray - Emerson Treacy
                       Martha Gilvray - Madge Blake
                      Dr. James - Wheaton Chambers
                      Coroner- Robert Osterloh
                     John Gilvray - Sherry Hall
                    Motel Manager - Louise Lorimer
          

               MY BOTTOM LINE ...
THE PROWLER (1951) is a top-notch film noir despite its B-movie status. Dalton Trumbo turns the tables upside  down on the classic film noir DOUBLE IDEMNITY (1944) when he wrote the screenplay for THE PROWLER (1951). This time instead of the FEMME FATALE  doing the SEDUCING it's the MAN. Van Heflin 's character is a cynical cop who seduces a bored housewife in a LOVELESS marriage without children. His attraction towards the bored housewife grows stronger when he comes across her husband's life insurance policy. Heflin gives a strong performance as the anti-hero who goes against his occupation's motto "To Serve and Protect" to who crosses the line to achieve the American dream. After years of unfilled dreams of the past of high school star athlete and a failed college scholarship, Heflin's character feels entitled to live the "Good Life" no matter what it costs.