Product Details

• Actors: James Mason, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Ryan, Frank Ferguson, Curt Bois
• Directors: Max Ophüls
• Writers: Arthur Laurents, Libbie Block
• Producers: Wolfgang Reinhardt
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Republic Pictures Home Video
• VHS Release Date: September 2, 1994
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300207994
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,995 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

Max Ophüls's dark "Cinderella" melodrama belongs as much to the murky world of film noir as to the polished European dramas of high-society power games. Barbara Bel Geddes is a carhop who puts her hopes in a charm-school education and a modeling gig. When cold, demanding industrialist millionaire Robert Ryan suddenly proposes, her fashion magazine fantasies come true, but her loveless marriage makes her new mansion home a lonely gilded cage where she's more servant than wife. She runs off and becomes a white-collar receptionist (in furs and Saks gowns). James Mason, an idealistic doctor, hires her and slowly wins her heart, but her monstrous husband responds with a campaign of blackmail and psychological torments. Ophüls fights a script that all too often puts its themes into the mouth of Mason, whose constant harangues against the pursuit of money for money's sake sound increasingly like a broken record, but the director's delicate style beautifully captures both the surface elegance and emptiness of the millionaire lifestyle. Bel Geddes undergoes the transformation from a callow, naïve kid to a woman of strength and moral fortitude, while Mason tempers his saintliness with moments of doubt. Ryan reveals himself as a chillingly cruel manipulator whose only goal is to "win" at all costs. Ophüls beautifully twists the American dream into a nightmare where even the happy ending feels just a bit tarnished. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Howard Hughes personified!, May 11, 2000

By 

Franklin S. Jarlett (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caught (1949) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Few people are aware that the central character in Caught, Smith Ohlrig, was actually a parody of tycoon Howard Hughes. Directed by German ex-patriate Max Ophuls and produced at MGM, the film was made after Hughes reportedly affronted Ophuls by referring to him as "the oaf" when the latter worked at RKO under Hughes' erratic reign. After Ophuls left RKO for MGM, he orchestrated the film's creation as a sublime revenge against Hughes. Starring Robert Ryan, James Mason and Barbara Bel Geddes, Caught was an elegant entry that showcased Ryan's tremendous power as an actor. He seemed to intuitively recognize how to portray Ohlrig (Hughes), demonically effective as the cruel, self-centered magnate who marries ingenue Bel Geddes to spite his psychiatrist. As in many of his films, Ryan's performance is the biggest reason to see it, and as usual, one keeps hoping for more scenes in which he appears. Though Mason and Bel Geddes occupy more space in the film, it is clearly a "Ryan" film. Caught engages the audience most during the scenes involving Ryan and Bel Geddes, and was considered by many to be the best of Ophuls' American-made films. As a film noir, it contains all of the necessary elements of alienation and deception, and the opening scenes between Ryan and Bel Geddes, Ryan and his psychiatrist, Ryan and James Mason, and Ryan and his lackey (Curt Bois) are reason enough to see the film. The story itself is less effective than the sum of its parts, and should be seen by any movie buff interested in film noir.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Money isn't everything..., August 16, 2001

By 

Calle - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caught (1949) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Leonora (Barbara Bel Geddes) marries a rich man (Robert Ryan) and gets wealth but not happiness. To get away from her pointless life and the husband, who regards her as an employee, rather than a wife, she moves away and gets a job as a secretary for a doctor (James Mason).

This movie is not only well-written, well directed and well acted. It also has great cinematography and a good Noir atmosphere. The story isn't unique, but the combination of all these things result in a very good movie. Film Noir is one of my favorite genres and no Noir fan should miss this movie. The movie, and especially the Robert Ryan character (based on Howard Hughes) made me think of Citizen Kane. Noir fans can raise my rating a half star.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Noir for Noir Fans, March 18, 2005

By 

Mcgivern Owen L (NY, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Caught (1949) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"Caught" is solid though slightly offbeat film noir. It certainly drives home the notion that money will not solve all your problems! As C unfolds, a very young Barbara Bel Geddes dreams of marrying a rich guy. That's the way to happiness! Barbara gets her wish and soon is in a loveless marriage to tycoon Robert Ryan. She has made her deal with the devil. Finally, she leaves him and takes a job as a receptionist for an idealistic Doctor, James Mason. She falls quickly in love but can't marry. There is a slight hurdle- Bel Geddes is pregnant by Ryan! This reviewer won't reveal the resolution- the curious will have to see C for themselves. The view here is that the fadeout is rather abrupt and even bizarre. Noir fans can still enjoy C for the following reasons: 1) The acting is strong, especially the male leads. Mason and Ryan almost always turn in stalwart performances. C is no exception. (Try to catch Ryan in "Executive Action" and Mason in "5 Fingers". The former concerns the JFK plot; the latter is a WW2 spy thriller. Both are undershown and underappreciated.) 2) The noir background of dark exterior, dimly lit rooms, murky lighting and general gloom is well done. 3) The supporting cast is excellent especially Frank Ferguson as Mason's partner and Curt Bois as Ryan's cloying flunky. Art Smith is wonderful as Ryan's patient but overwhelmed shrink. C is worth more than the sum of its parts. This is not a choice for those watching their very first noir movie. Old hands at the genre should be quite satisfied. For veterans, the 4 star rating is justified.