By Ray Walton

Released in 1947, The Two Mrs. Carrolls belongs to a cycle of postwar domestic thrillers that reimagined marriage as a site of psychological danger. Directed by Peter Godfrey and starring Humphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyck, the film draws from anxieties surrounding intimacy, control, and the fear that violence can exist behind respectable façades.

These films often relied on gaslighting, isolation, and emotional manipulation rather than overt spectacle, reflecting a cultural moment increasingly interested in threats that emerged within private life. While unevenly received, The Two Mrs. Carrolls remains part of this lineage, a film more notable for its performances and premise than for its execution, and one that gestures toward darker possibilities than it ultimately explores.

The premise of The Two Mrs. Carrolls is compelling, but its execution often feels too convenient. When a character needs something to move the plot forward, it simply appears, and at times, the logic stretches to the point of distraction. There are moments where the storytelling veers into near absurdity, undermining the tension it’s trying to build.

That said, the film remains watchable largely because of Humphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyck. Both bring commitment and gravity to roles that deserve a stronger script. Their performances give the story a sense of weight it doesn’t always earn on its own.

I found myself tempted to compare the film to While the City Sleeps in terms of uneven storytelling, though the comparison only goes so far. That film at least embraces its B-movie identity, while The Two Mrs. Carrolls seems determined to be taken seriously; a choice that makes its narrative shortcuts more glaring.

The idea of Bogart’s Geoffrey Carroll painting his wives as the Angel of Death before killing them is striking, and I almost wish the film had leaned into something supernatural. I don’t know that it would have worked better, but it did bring to mind the 1960s anthology Thriller, particularly the episode “Portrait Without a Face,” which explores a similar premise with more conviction.

There are certainly stronger noirs from this era, but if you’re drawn to Bogart and Stanwyck, both give the material everything they have. Their performances make The Two Mrs. Carrolls worth revisiting, even as a study in missed potential.

Why tonight?

Because this is a film where the idea is stronger than the execution, and winter is a good time to sit with that tension…especially as we’re on the other side of the holiday.

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