Leigh Jason directed Out of the Blue, a mildly amusing screwball comedy based on the short story by Vera Caspary who also co-wrote the script.
Caspary’s original story appeared in Today’s Woman magazine in September 1947.
It stars George Brent, Virginia Mayo, Turhan Bey, Ann Dvorak and Carole Landis.
Arthur Earthleigh (George Brent) lives in Greenwich Village where he is dominated by his wife Mae (Carole Landis) and annoyed by Rabelais, the German Shepherd owned by his neighbor, artist and bachelor David (Turhan Bey).
David has a constant parade of attractive women visiting his apartment to pose for him. He mistakes Deborah (Virginia Mayo) as one of them, though she came to ask David for his dog Rabelais to breed with hers.
When his wife visits her sister, Arthur goes to a bar where he’s picked up by interior decorator Olive (Ann Dvorak).
Olive has a taste for brandy that she insists alleviates her heart condition but makes her tipsy. Arthur orders the reluctant Olive to leave, but she is reluctant.
Waking up the next day Arthur discovers Olive has redecorated the room. Attempting to get her to leave he knocks Olive down to the floor.
The film has Olive’s ‘body’ moved by David who uses Arthur’s fear of having killed Olive to blackmail him into changing his mind about having a court ordering David to get rid of his dog.
Meanwhile, a serial killer is stalking the Village with two elderly snoopers (Elizabeth Patterson and Julia Dean) believing Olive is his victim.
Adding to Arthur’s troubles is his wife returning.
Cast
George Brent as Arthur Earthleigh
Virginia Mayo as Deborah Tyler
Turhan Bey as David Gelleo
Ann Dvorak as Olive Jensen
Carole Landis as Mae Earthleigh
Elizabeth Patterson as Miss Spring
Julia Dean as Miss Ritchie
Richard Lane as Detective Noonan
Charles Smith as Elevator Boy (as Charlie Smith)
Paul Harvey as Holliston
Alton E. Horton as Detective Dombry
Hadda Brooks as Singer
Flame as Rabelais
