The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing *** (1955, Ray Milland, Joan Collins, Farley Granger) – Classic Movie Review 9020

The 1955 love triangle thriller The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing is an atmospheric evocation of a 1906 New York murder scandal. Marilyn Monroe turned the film down and was put on suspension before Joan Collins was cast as beautiful showgirl Evelyn Nesbit.

Director Richard Fleischer’s 1955 biographical love triangle thriller The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing is an atmospheric evocation of a 1906 New York murder scandal in which older architect Stanford White (Ray Milland) vies with spoiled young rich boy Harry K Thaw (Farley Granger) for beautiful showgirl Evelyn Nesbit (Joan Collins).

Thaw’s mother Mrs Thaw (Cornelia Otis Skinner) throws money at her son’s successful defence of murder by shooting in public on New York’s Winter Garden.

The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing is a glitzy retelling of the true story, shot in CinemaScope and Color by Deluxe, with a glossing over of the truth. But it is still an intriguing little film, creatively written by Walter Reisch and Charles Brackett, involving acted by the right performers, and meticulously handled by director Fleischer.

Also in the cast are Glenda Farrell, Luther Adler, Frances Fuller, Phillip Reed, John Hoyt, Gale Robbins, James Lorimer, Robert F Simon, Harvey Stephens, Emile Meyer, Richard Travis, Harry Seymour, Ainsley Pryor, Kay Hammond, Betty Caulfield, Karolee Kelly, Jack Raine, Leslie Parrish and Edmund Cobb.

Farley Granger plays spoiled young rich boy Harry K Thaw.

The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing is directed by Richard Fleischer, runs 109 minutes, is made and released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Walter Reisch and Charles Brackett, is shot in CinemaScope and Color by Deluxe by Milton R Krasner, is produced by Charles Brackett, is scored by Leigh Harline and Edward B Powell, and is designed by Lyle R Wheeler and Maurice Ransford.

Joan Collins and Ray Milland.

Marilyn Monroe turned the film down and was put on suspension. Sheree North was announced as her replacement before Joan Collins was cast as Nesbit. It cost $1.7 million and earned $1.3 million (US), which was a disappointment. It would almost certainly have been a bigger hit with Marilyn, but actually Joan fits the bill better.

It was shot at 20th Century Fox Studios, 10201 Pico Blvd, Century City, Los Angeles.

Walter Reisch said the film was his idea and that 20th Century Fox especially liked it because producer Charles Brackett knew Stanford White as a boy. He said 70 per cent was fact and 30 per cent fictionalised. Nesbit was paid off so they could make the film but avoided involvement in publicising it.

The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955, Joan Collins, Farley Granger).

The cast are Ray Milland as Stanford White, Joan Collins as Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, Farley Granger as Harry Kendall Thaw, Luther Adler as Delphin Delmas, Cornelia Otis Skinner as Mrs Thaw, Glenda Farrell as Mrs Nesbit, Frances Fuller as Mrs Elizabeth White, Phillip Reed as Robert J Collier, Gale Robbins as Gwen Arden, James Lorimer as McCaleb, John Hoyt as William Travers Jerome, Robert F Simon as Stage Manager, Harvey Stephens as Dr Hollingshead, Emile Meyer as Hunchbacher, Glenda Farrell, Luther Adler, Frances Fuller, James Lorimer, Richard Travis, Harry Seymour, Ainsley Pryor, Kay Hammond, Betty Caulfield, Karolee Kelly, Jack Raine, Leslie Parrish and Edmund Cobb.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9020

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