The Man Who Cheated Himself

Director: Felix E. Feist, Felix Feist Felix E. Feist

Overview

In this film, Lee J. Cobb stars as Ed Cullen, a San Francisco police lieutenant embroiled in a clandestine romance with married socialite Lois Frazer. When Lois kills her husband Howard, the flustered Cullen vows to cover for her. Things get sticky when Cullen is assigned to investigate the case.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/09/2015
UPC:	0644827372423
Original Release:	1950
Source:	Reel Vault
Language:	English
Sales rank:	40,723

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Lee J. Cobb	Ed Cullen
Jane Wyatt	Lois Frazer
John Dall	Andy Cullen
Lisa Howard	Janet
Alan Wells	Nito Capa
Harlan Warde	Howard Frazer
Tito Vuolo	Pietro Capa
Mimi Aguglia	Mrs. Capa
Charles Arnt	Mr. Quimby
Marjorie Bennett	Mrs. Quimby
Bud Wolfe	Blair
Morgan Farley	Rushton
Howard Negley	Olson
William Gould	Medical Examiner
Art Milan	Airport Clerk
Gordon Richards	Butler
Terry Frost	Detective
Mario Siletti	Machetti
Charles Victor	Attorney

Technical Credits

Felix Feist	Director
Jack M. Warner	Producer
Rex Wimpy	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

Despite one dreadful piece of miscasting, The Man Who Cheated Himself emerges as an interesting and entertaining film noir, a "second tier" noir that deserves to be better known. (The title doesn't really fit the story to a T, but it's a great title nonetheless.) Felix E. Feist directs with all the requisite tension and atmosphere, pulling the viewer in and leading him along in a perfect, acceptable manipulative fashion. Feist's direction lacks some of the great flourishes of the masters of the genre, but it's more than competent and gets no complaints from this corner. Lee J. Cobb gives a very solid performance in the lead, as Lt. Ed Cullen, capturing the conflicting aspects of the character and making him sympathetic, even as he treads down the path of murder. John Dall does well as Cobb's younger brother, Andy, who makes the shocking realization that Cobb is his prey and that he must capture him, no matter what, and Lisa Howard and Alan Wells turn in fine support as Janet and Nito. The crucial piece of miscasting is in Jane Wyatt, cast very much against type as the story's femme fatale and failing miserably to carry it off. It's an annoying, mannered performance, and her lack of believability damages the core of the film, as one cannot imagine Cobb risking everything for her. Wyatt's performance gives an unintended meaning to the title -- that Cobb's character cheated himself by falling for someone so unappealing.