Whispering Footsteps (1943)

Undescribable Perfection

Sick Product of a Sick System

Don't listen to the negative reviews

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

This is a flawed film in several respects. It has poor production values, B actors, and a really annoying little brat actress who never made another film (hopefully). The one saving grace of this film is the story and the script. It is a very intelligent script for the time period (the middle of WW 2). And it was almost impossible to find a film from that era that didn't mention the war.The story of a man who is accused as a serial killer, keeps you guessing all the way to the end of the film. I will not reveal the ending, but it is interesting. This is just one of your better B movies, especially in the noir genre. After all, we go to the movies to be entertained by a good story; this foots the bill.

John Hubbard (Mark) lives in a guest house and falls under suspicion when his description fits that of a murderer. Not only that, but his behaviour seems to fit someone who may be guilty of a murder spree – he reads strange books and his after dark hours seem to follow the pattern of the murderer. So, is he? The film is OK – ruined by a few of the cast – but essentially it keeps you guessing so that's a good point. It's a shame that Juanita Quigley (Rose) doesn't get murdered – you will see what I mean. She's the one that screams every time she appears. Not just once, usually 3 times. And it's always at top decibels and very shrill. I think it's meant to be funny. Anyway, she ruins the film. Another oddity is Mary Gordon (Ma) who plays the landlady and who speaks with what sounds like a dreadful Scottish accent. I found out that she is actually Scottish which makes her unlike-able because she shouldn't speak like that! It's a compact film that is more of a study of human nature rather than a straightforward whodunnit.

Bank teller John Hubbard resembles the description given by the authorities of a murderer. Because he was on vacation in the area where the murders took place, he becomes a suspect, and is constantly tailed by investigator Cy Kendall. When murders start happening in his own town, he soon finds himself the talk to the town, even tho his neighbor Joan Blair and his bosses daughter Rita Quigley provide him with alibis for the murders.The story is really basic and doesn't need a lot of time to be told. Which is maybe why this movie needs only just over 50 minutes. It feels like a movie adaptation of an episode of a radio play series like 'Suspense', including a (literally) last minute twist. The acting is decent enough, but there's an annoying part for a girl (Rita's sister Juanita Quigley) who screams every time she's scared, which is really often.The movie has plenty of dark/night-time scenes, which aren't shot in a noir way really but are atmospheric nevertheless. Director Howard Bretherton and DoP Jack Marta, who both did tons of westerns, do decent work here but don't expect magic. Overall the movie is entertaining tho and with its small town gossip angle even manages to sneak in some social commentary (altho I doubt that was intentional). 6/10

All has already been told in the plot line. Not bad, much talk, much more than in other Republic Studios movies. Howard Bretherton is a famous B - and mostly grade Z - film maker. Many many westerns and two serials MONSTER AND THE APE, and WHO'S GUILTY, two serials produced by the terrible Sam Katzman. Two serials that I won't recommend to anyone, even to a guy who would slaughter my whole family...Back to this little film, I guess that's probably his best picture. I won't watch any of his grade Z westerns, even under a gun barrel, because I already know what i would have to deal with. And I am not masochistic. So, I could only enjoy this little film. But maybe I am wrong, maybe there are some little gems among the dozens of features he was guilty of.Anyway, this film is worth for movie lovers, and gems diggers as I am.