Top Secret Affair *** (1957, Susan Hayward, Kirk Douglas, Paul Stewart) – Classic Movie Review 9521

Director H C Potter’s merry and diverting 1957 romantic comedy Top Secret Affair stars Susan Hayward as Dottie Peale, a newswoman publisher who tries to bring army war-hero/ politician Major General Melville A Goodwin (Kirk Douglas)’s reputation into disrepute but (unsurprisingly) ends up falling for him instead.

John P Marquand’s novel Melville Goodwin USA is interpreted as an interesting mixture of political dirt-dishing and light comedy that does not quite fully come off but is still enjoyable enough.

Though neither is ideally cast, both leads disport themselves worthily, amusing themselves and the audience in a happy and energetic way, while Jim Backus and Paul Stewart head an entertaining support cast.

Also in the cast are John Cromwell, Roland Winters, Arthur Gould-Porter, Michael Fox, Frank Gerstle, Charles Lane, Hal K Dawson, James Flavin, Jonathan Halem Charles Meredith, Edna Holland, Lyn Osborn, Ivan Triessault, Richard H Cutting and Franco Corsaro.

Top Secret Affair [Their Secret Affair] is directed by H C Potter, runs 100 minutes, is made by Carrollton Inc, is released by Warner Bros, is written by Roland Kibbee and Allan Scott, is shot in black and white by Stanley Cortez, is produced by Martin Rackin and Milton Sperling, is scored by Roy Webb, and is designed by Malcolm C Bert.

The film was to have starred Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, who had filmed costume and makeup tests, but Bogart’s cancer illness forced him to quit and he was replaced by Kirk Douglas. Bacall then quit to be with her dying husband, and was replaced by Susan Hayward.

Their Secret Affair was the UK title.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9521

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