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Cast
Sonia Dresdel
as Sylvia Russell
Walter Fitzgerald
as Arthur Russell
Emrys Jones
as Terry Russell
Barbara White
as Fenella Russell
Scott Forbes
as Dr. Valentine Christie (billed as "Julian Dallas")
Cyril Raymond
as Austin Penrose
Celia Lipton
as Effie Holmes
Marjorie Rhodes
as Mrs. Holmes
Joan Hickson
as Miss Johnson
Lesley Osmond
as Sally
Movie Info & Details
Release Year1948
Runtime1h 42m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationNR
GenresCrime, Drama
Votes9
DirectorTim Whelan
WritersVal Valentine
TypeFeature Film
Rating5.7 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsThis Was a Woman
About This Was a Woman
The woman here is Sylvia Russell: power mad with set goals. In order to achieve those goals she is sadistically devoted to her son and daughter, able to possess and direct them. She subtly ruins her daughter's marriage by corrupting a servant girl and, then, uses her to compromise her son-in-law; slowly breaks her bumbling, unambitious husband's confidence...
Directed by Tim Whelan, This Was a Woman leans on a strong ensemble — Sonia Dresdel, Walter Fitzgerald, Emrys Jones — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about crime titles of 1948.
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