The Man with a Cloak

"What strange hold did this man have over the lives of these two beautiful women ?"

1951 1h 24m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 20

CrimeDramaMysteryThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Set in 19th-century New York, this mystery begins when a Frenchwoman shows up at the home of one of Napoleon's former marshals. The alcoholic man is badly crippled and slowly dying, but this doesn't stop the forthright lady from pushing him to change his will to include his estranged grandson so that he can help out the struggling French Republic. Unfortunately, the dying man's conniving housekeeper and butler, already planning murder to get the money themselves, overhear her and begin plotting her demise.

“What strange hold did this man have over the lives of these two beautiful women ?”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Joseph Cotten
Dupin
Barbara Stanwyck
Lorna Bounty
Louis Calhern
Charles Theverner
Leslie Caron
Madeline Minot
Joe De Santis
Martin
Jim Backus
Flaherty
Margaret Wycherly
Mrs. Flynn
Richard Hale
Durand

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Fletcher Markle
Writers: John Dickson Carr, Frank Fenton
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

84 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

75 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Fletcher Markle, shot by George J. Folsey. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by David Raksin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Newell P. Kimlin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Joseph Cotten and Barbara Stanwyck and Louis Calhern carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "What strange hold did this man have over the lives of these two beautiful women ?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Fletcher Markle directs. George J. Folsey behind the camera. David Raksin scores. Newell P. Kimlin cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

184 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
275 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Fletcher Markle, shot by George J. Folsey. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by David Raksin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Newell P. Kimlin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Joseph Cotten and Barbara Stanwyck and Louis Calhern carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "What strange hold did this man have over the lives of these two beautiful women ?".
9IMDB entry: tt0043782 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 20 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
11Classified under 14 themes, including "new york city", "dying man", "old man", "film noir".