Dick Powell and Lizabeth Scott in “Pitfall”

Pitfall (1948) is an American film noir drama directed by Andre de Toth and starring Dick Powell, Lizabeth Scott, and Jane Wyatt. The supporting cast includes Ann Doran, John Litel, and Raymond Burr.

Johnny Forbes (Powell) works for an insurance company in downtown Los Angeles Johnny is introduced to the case of Mona Stevens and Bill Smiley by former policeman and private investigator J.B. “Mac” MacDonald (Burr). Smiley has been showering Mona with expensive gifts with money he embezzled. Johnny gets involved with Mona Stevens (Scott) the girlfriend of jailed criminal Bill Smiley (Byron Barr) while working on the investigation and Mona’s possible involvement. Johnny who has become disillusioned with his “happy” suburban life with his wife Sue (Wyatt) and his young son Tommy (Jimmy Hunt), finds himself attracted to Mona.

Will Johnny’s affair with Mona damage the investigation of Bill Smiley, and more importantly destroy his marriage to Sue?

 

Andre de Toth (1913 – 2002) was a Hungarian-American film director. De Toth directed films in Europe before World War II. He went to England and then to Los Angeles in 1942. De Toth worked in a variety of genres including films noir and westerns. He directed Gary Cooper in Springfield Rifle (1952) and Vincent Price in House of Wax (1953), the most popular 3-D movie during the 3-D movie craze. Later in his career, he worked as a second-unit director on Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Superman (1978). De Toth was married seven times. One of his wives was Veronica Lake with whom he had two children.

Dick Powell (1904 - 1963) was an American actor, singer, producer, and director. He began his movie career in musicals and comedies but eventually toughened up his image in the mid-1940s where he became a popular star of films noir. He was the first actor to portray Philip Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet (1944). After appearing in his last film, Susan Slept Here, Powell started directing. In the 1950s he was one of the founders of Four Star Television along with Charles Boyer, David Niven, and Ida Lupino. Some popular films starring Powell include 42nd Street (1933), A Midsummer's Night Dream (1935), Christmas in July (1940), Pitfall (1948), and The Bad and the Beautiful (1952).

Lizabeth Scott (1922 – 2015) was an American actress dubbed “The Threat” because she had a similar husky voice and screen persona as Lauren Bacall. Scott was an understudy to Tallulah Bankhead in The Skin of Our Teeth but never got the opportunity to replace Bankhead’s run of the play. When Bankhead was replaced by Miriam Hopkins, Scott did go on for one night and received good reviews. It wasn’t long for Hollywood to take notice and producer Wallis signed her to a contract. She made her film debut as Ivy Hotchkiss in You Came Along (1945) with Robert Cummings. The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) was Scott’s second feature. She went on to star in Dead Reckoning (1947) with Humphrey Bogart, I Walk Alone (1947) with Burt Lancaster, and Dark City (1950) with Charlton Heston in his film debut. She had a falling out with producer Wallis after starring in Loving You (1957) with Elvis Presley and another Wallis contract player, Wendell Corey. She basically retired from film after Loving You but appeared on television sporadically during the 1950s and 1960s.

Dick Powell and Jane Wyatt

Pitfall trivia

• There is a shot of the May Company department store on Wilshire Blvd. It’s now the home of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
• According to TCM host Eddie Muller, this was Lizabeth Scott’s favorite role.
• This was an independent production for Regal Films owned by producer Samuel Bischoff. Dick Powell was on the company’s board of directors.
• The comic in John’s son’s bedroom is Flash #77 which is worth over $500 in very good condition.
• John’s personal car is a 1947 Ford Super Deluxe convertible which was the top-of-the-line model.
• John’s company car is a 1948 Studebaker Commander Land Cruiser.

 

Click HERE to watch the movie on YouTube.

 

Click HERE to join the discussion on May 6, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. Most film noirs aren’t set in suburbia. Did the setting enhance or harm the film’s narrative?
2. Was Dick Powell’s affair with Lizabeth Scott’s character believable?
3. Is Lizabeth Scott’s character the typical femme fatale?
4. What did you think of the performances? Powell, Scott, Wyatt, and Burr?
5. Did this movie remind you of any others you’ve seen?