THE RECKLESS MOMENT

Special Features: Intro by film historian Alan K. Rode on Oct. 18

California homemaker Lucia Harper (Joan Bennett) longs to separate her headstrong daughter (Geraldine Brooks) from the influence of her bad-apple boyfriend (Shepperd Strudwick). But events spiral out of control, and soon mother and daughter are covering their tracks from an accidental homicide. Enter shady character Martin Donnelly (James Mason) — tall, dark and handsome, and in possession of evidence that would incriminate Lucia. Max Ophüls’ criminally underrated noir masterpiece weaves a weird, it-could-never-be romance with a twisty, tension-fueled plot. And it all takes place during the holiday season! DIR Max Ophüls; SCR Henry Garson, Robert Soderberg, from the short story “The Blank Wall” by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding; PROD Walter Wanger. U.S., 1949, b&w, 82 min. NOT RATED

Run Time: 82 Minutes

Opening Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025

Genre: Film noir

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