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The Spiral Staircase

133 statements
25 feature instances
7 referencing feature instances

The Spiral Staircase	type	TVTItem
The Spiral Staircase	label	The Spiral Staircase
The Spiral Staircase	page	TheSpiralStaircase
The Spiral Staircase	comment	The Spiral Staircase is a 1946 Psychological Thriller film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Dorothy McGuire, Kent Smith, and George Brent.In 1906 Vermont, Helen (McGuire) is employed as a live-in maid in the splendid Warren family mansion. The community has been disturbed of late by a Serial Killer who preys specifically on women who have some sort of disability—past victims include a woman with a badly scarred face and a "simple-minded" woman, and the film opens with the killer strangling a woman who has a lame leg. This news is being taken very seriously indeed in the Warren mansion, as Helen is nonverbal, having fallen into psychosomatic muteness as a child when she saw her parents burned to death in a fire. As soon as the latest murder is reported, everyone starts pleading with Helen to flee the town, especially good-hearted Dr. Perry (Smith), who is in love with Helen.Besides Helen, the household consists of cantankerous old Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore), who is bedridden, her ne'er-do-well son Steven Warren, and her stepson Professor Albert Warren (Brent), son of the late Mr. Warren's first wife. The Warren half-brothers don't like each other very much, with serious Albert being regularly irritated by rapscallion Steven, and both brothers being rivals for the hand of Blanche (Rhonda Fleming), the lovely secretary to the Warren family. Also present in the house are Mr. Oates (Rhys Williams), the handyman, and his wife Mrs. Oates (Elsa Lanchester), the cook.Remade in 1975 with Jacqueline Bisset starring as Helen.
The Spiral Staircase	fetched	2023-12-05T16:50:28Z
The Spiral Staircase	parsed	2023-12-05T16:50:28Z
The Spiral Staircase	isPartOf	DBTropes
The Spiral Staircase / int_127fc252	type	Creator Cameo
The Spiral Staircase / int_127fc252	comment	Creator Cameo: The close-ups of the killer's eyes and hands are close-ups of Robert Siodmak.
The Spiral Staircase / int_127fc252	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_127fc252	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_127fc252
The Spiral Staircase / int_22cf536c	type	Chekhov's Gun
The Spiral Staircase / int_22cf536c	comment	Chekhov's Gun: A literal gun, which Mrs. Warren has by her bedside and which a horrified Helen tries but fails to wrest away from her. At the climax Mrs. Warren saves Helen's life by shooting Albert dead with said gun.
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The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_22cf536c
The Spiral Staircase / int_281de59f	type	Extremely Short Timespan
The Spiral Staircase / int_281de59f	comment	Extremely Short Timespan: Takes place over a single afternoon and evening, as Helen is stalked by a demented killer.
The Spiral Staircase / int_281de59f	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_281de59f	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_281de59f
The Spiral Staircase / int_38d02d44	type	Batman Gambit
The Spiral Staircase / int_38d02d44	comment	Batman Gambit: The killer executes a number of these in order to make sure Helen is alone. Among these include letting Mrs. Oates steal a bottle of brandy knowing she will get drunk off it, and getting rid of the bottle of ether so Mr. Oates will have to travel to get more.
The Spiral Staircase / int_38d02d44	featureApplicability	1.0
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The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_38d02d44
The Spiral Staircase / int_4d044580	type	Motive Rant
The Spiral Staircase / int_4d044580	comment	Motive Rant: The killer gives one after he reveals himself to Helen.
The Spiral Staircase / int_4d044580	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_4d044580	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_4d044580
The Spiral Staircase / int_4e7c4536	type	Wham Line
The Spiral Staircase / int_4e7c4536	comment	Wham Line: How Albert is revealed as the killer, after seemingly coming to the rescue of Helen.
The Spiral Staircase / int_4e7c4536	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_4e7c4536	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_4e7c4536
The Spiral Staircase / int_7301ae04	type	Serial Killer
The Spiral Staircase / int_7301ae04	comment	Serial Killer: One that stalks women who have some sort of handicap or deformity. Blanche's murder doesn't fit with this description, however, suggesting a more personal motive. Maybe he's just so far over the deep end that "doesn't want to be with me" looks like weakness to him.
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The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_7301ae04
The Spiral Staircase / int_75e2bf23	type	Chiaroscuro
The Spiral Staircase / int_75e2bf23	comment	Chiaroscuro: Used for many, many shots in an old Edwardian manor that doesn't appear to have electricity hooked up and is still lit by gas lamps and candles.
The Spiral Staircase / int_75e2bf23	featureApplicability	1.0
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The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_75e2bf23
The Spiral Staircase / int_7fbb2a3	type	Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
The Spiral Staircase / int_7fbb2a3	comment	Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: After finding Blanche's body in the cellar, Helen assumes that Stephen killed her and locks him in one of the rooms. Unfortunately, not only is Stephen not the killer but by locking him in, Helen unwittingly leaves herself with the real killer, Albert. He even mocks Helen for this during his Motive Rant.
The Spiral Staircase / int_7fbb2a3	featureApplicability	1.0
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The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_7fbb2a3
The Spiral Staircase / int_8573ac0a	type	The Social Darwinist
The Spiral Staircase / int_8573ac0a	comment	The Social Darwinist: The villain cites this as his reason for killing women with any sort of physical defect, such as the mute heroine:
The Spiral Staircase / int_8573ac0a	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_8573ac0a	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_8573ac0a
The Spiral Staircase / int_91c001	type	Cute Mute
The Spiral Staircase / int_91c001	comment	Cute Mute: She sure is cute, but Helen's muteness unfortunately makes her the target of a serial killer. It also prevents her from getting help at the climax, like when she calls the telephone operator only to be unable to get any words out.
The Spiral Staircase / int_91c001	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_91c001	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_91c001
The Spiral Staircase / int_9d12bbc1	type	Foreshadowing
The Spiral Staircase / int_9d12bbc1	comment	The killer, oddly enough, has a small one early on in the movie when watching Helen in front of a mirror, where he imagines her as having no mouth. This serves as Foreshadowing for the killer's motive, as he sees all disabled people as imperfect. Albert even mentions it during his Motive Rant.
The Spiral Staircase / int_9d12bbc1	featureApplicability	1.0
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The Spiral Staircase / int_9f6fb586	type	Leitmotif
The Spiral Staircase / int_9f6fb586	comment	Leitmotif: There is a creepy, theremin-Esque theme that plays whenever the killer shows up.
The Spiral Staircase / int_9f6fb586	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_9f6fb586	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_9f6fb586
The Spiral Staircase / int_a7382a73	type	Imagine Spot
The Spiral Staircase / int_a7382a73	comment	Imagine Spot: After Dr. Perry kisses her, Helen has a long Imagine Spot in which she visualizes their wedding, but it ends badly when she can't say "I do" even in her own fantasy. The killer, oddly enough, has a small one early on in the movie when watching Helen in front of a mirror, where he imagines her as having no mouth. This serves as Foreshadowing for the killer's motive, as he sees all disabled people as imperfect. Albert even mentions it during his Motive Rant.
The Spiral Staircase / int_a7382a73	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_a7382a73	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_a7382a73
The Spiral Staircase / int_abbea4f7	type	Dumb Struck
The Spiral Staircase / int_abbea4f7	comment	Dumb Struck: Helen is not mute because of physical trauma, but from emotional trauma after seeing her parents burn to death.
The Spiral Staircase / int_abbea4f7	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_abbea4f7	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_abbea4f7
The Spiral Staircase / int_ad7a381d	type	P.O.V. Cam
The Spiral Staircase / int_ad7a381d	comment	P.O.V. Cam: Used from the POV of the murderer as he's staring at his two victims as well as when he's stalking Helen. In fact, this is combined with One-Eyed Shot, as the POV shot is super-imposed over the extreme close-up of the killer's eye.
The Spiral Staircase / int_ad7a381d	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_ad7a381d	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_ad7a381d
The Spiral Staircase / int_b7e0c5ff	type	Love Triangle
The Spiral Staircase / int_b7e0c5ff	comment	Love Triangle: In the backstory between Blanche, Albert, and Stephen. Blanche chooses Stephen but isn't too thrilled about it.
The Spiral Staircase / int_b7e0c5ff	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_b7e0c5ff	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_b7e0c5ff
The Spiral Staircase / int_b9af5ef3	type	The Film of the Book
The Spiral Staircase / int_b9af5ef3	comment	The Film of the Book: Adapted from the 1933 novel Some Must Watch by British author Ethel Lina White.
The Spiral Staircase / int_b9af5ef3	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_b9af5ef3	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_b9af5ef3
The Spiral Staircase / int_c0d32460	type	Sexy Secretary
The Spiral Staircase / int_c0d32460	comment	Sexy Secretary: Blanche the curvy secretary, who occasionally writes letters but seems to exist more as an object of rivalry for the Warren brothers. At some point in the past she rejected Albert and embarked on an affair with Stephen, but the crudeness of Stephen's advances make her decide to leave the house.
The Spiral Staircase / int_c0d32460	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_c0d32460	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_c0d32460
The Spiral Staircase / int_c3c18143	type	Hope Spot
The Spiral Staircase / int_c3c18143	comment	Hope Spot: Happens twice in the climax, both times concerning the local constible. First, he visits the manor after Albert is revealed, but Albert answers the door and is able to convince him that everything is ok. Then, Helen begins pounding on a window to get his attention, but he assumes that it's from a nearby gate. By the time Helen tries smashing the window with a lamp, he has already left.
The Spiral Staircase / int_c3c18143	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_c3c18143	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_c3c18143
The Spiral Staircase / int_dd01736e	type	One-Eyed Shot
The Spiral Staircase / int_dd01736e	comment	One-Eyed Shot: Used when the killer is stalking both of his victims as well as when he is staring at Helen.
The Spiral Staircase / int_dd01736e	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_dd01736e	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_dd01736e
The Spiral Staircase / int_e3cee2e7	type	Empathic Environment
The Spiral Staircase / int_e3cee2e7	comment	Empathic Environment: A driving rain and thunderstorm throughout set an appropriate mood for a tense Serial Killer thriller.
The Spiral Staircase / int_e3cee2e7	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_e3cee2e7	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_e3cee2e7
The Spiral Staircase / int_eb8ec7c8	type	Jerkass
The Spiral Staircase / int_eb8ec7c8	comment	Jerkass: Stephen is an obnoxious, sexist sleaze, though he isn't the killer.
The Spiral Staircase / int_eb8ec7c8	featureApplicability	1.0
The Spiral Staircase / int_eb8ec7c8	featureConfidence	1.0
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_eb8ec7c8
The Spiral Staircase / int_fdb3b2b5	type	Lady Drunk
The Spiral Staircase / int_fdb3b2b5	comment	Lady Drunk: Mrs. Oates, who is quite upset when her husband takes away the brandy, and then later deliberately drops a candle in the basement so Albert won't see her steal another bottle of brandy. When Helen needs help at the climax, Mrs. Oates is passed out drunk in the kitchen and Helen can't rouse her.
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The Spiral Staircase / int_name	type	ItemName
The Spiral Staircase / int_name	comment
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The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Spiral Staircase / int_name
The Spiral Staircase / int_name	itemName	The Spiral Staircase

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	Cute Mute / int_79a2de51
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	Dumb Struck / int_79a2de51
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	Lady Drunk / int_79a2de51
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	One-Eyed Shot / int_79a2de51
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	Psychological Thriller / int_79a2de51
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Edwardian Era / int_79a2de51
The Spiral Staircase	hasFeature	The Social Darwinist / int_79a2de51

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