Twist of Fate (1954)

Twist of Fate is set against the background of the French Riviera. Johnny Victor (Ginger Rogers) is an American actress living in the South of France. She receives a call from her boyfriend Louis to come to where he works he has something to show her. Louis has built a yacht just for the two of them to go sailing away on. He also gives her a new diamond bracelet. Outside the office a man named Luigi is waiting to speak to Louis. When Johnny leaves the two men speak in private.

            When Louis returns home his wife Marie is waiting for him. She and her brothers own the business that Louis runs and they are worried about Louis spending so much money. He decides to go to Paris to speak to the brothers about their concerns. In Paris we see that Louis is involved in the forgery business with rare coins.

            At a casino a man named Emil finds Johnny. They sit and talk. Emil is married to a fellow actress named Susan who used to tour with Johnny. Johnny has been helping Emil and Susan out with bills since Susan has been in a sanatorium. She gives Emil money but instead of using it on bills he gambles it away.

            At a salon Johnny sees Marie. She realizes Louis is not close to being divorced in the slightest. She feels cheap and used. Furious, Johnny drives off in a hurry and speeds down a dangerous road to the point where she almost goes over a cliff. She sees a house in the distance and goes there to use the phone. Johnny comes in on a birthday party by a man named Pierre and his friends. The following day Johnny sees Pierre in the city. He takes her to his pottery store. He shows her how to make a vase. Pierre tells her the vase will take a few days to complete. Johnny goes back to her house planning to return to Pierre’s shop.

            Turns out Emil is working for Louis in his forging scheme and needs money. He calls Johnny but she is not home. Emil finds her in the pottery store. Unfortunately she has already send money to the sanatorium for Susan. That night Emil goes to Pierre’s place and spies on him and Johnny together. Johnny hears a car leave and then she leaves in a hurry. Emil goes to Johnny’s house looking for things to steal. By the time Johnny gets back to her house Emily is gone. Louis shows up and wants to take her away that night. She tells him she does not want to go. Sometime later Luigi brings Louis a bracelet that Emil has given him as payment. The bracelet belonged to Johnny.

            Pierre goes to see Johnny. She tells him they cannot see each other anymore. He asks her if she loves Louis. Johnny starts crying because she really loves Pierre. Pierre asks Johnny to marry him and she accepts.

            Emil returns to Johnny’s house but this time she is home and Louis is there as well. Louis thinks Johnny is with Emil. Emil is standing outside watching Louis push Johnny around and threaten her. Louis threatens to kill Emil. Since Louis did not say who he was going to kill Johnny thinks he will kill Pierre. So he will not hurt Pierre she agrees to go away with him.

            Pierre calls after Louis has left. Johnny is upset so he rushes over to see her but it is too late she has gone. He sees the mess from Louis pushing Johnny around and rushes down to the docks to where Louis’s dock is. Johnny calls Emil asking him to try to cut off Pierre so he will not go after Louis. Emil does not do anything instead he goes back to her place to steal things from her safe. Pierre sees Johnny at the dock. They drive away together looking for Louis. They go to Louis’s house but only Marie is home. After Pierre and Johnny leave Marie phones the police.

            Louis goes to Johnny’s place where Emil is. He asks Emil about going away with Johnny. Emil tries to explain about Pierre but he cannot remember Pierre’s name. Louis does not believe Emil. The two men get into a fight and Louis’s gun goes off and kills him. Sometime after the fight and the death Pierre and Johnny return. They see the house is a mess even more so than before and Pierre finds the gun on the ground and picks it up. Outside Emil has Louis’s body. He decides to frame Pierre by putting Louis’s body in the trunk of his car.

            The police Marie had phoned show up at the house. They know about Pierre and Johnny’s meeting at the dock. With the police as a distraction Emil takes Louis’s body out of the trunk and decides to burn it in the kiln at Pierre’s shop. In the house Johnny, Pierre, and the police officers hear a noise coming from outside. They see Emil taking Louis’s body. In the end Emil confesses to the murder.

            Twist of Fate was an alright film I got bored after a while. The story was not very good but I am not into crazy jealous lovers trying to kill the other lover. They always end up in a silly mess and so does this one. Ginger Rogers was pretty good but for some reason I did not like her acting so much in this. She was not terrible nor was she very good she was just alright. I can only suggest watching Twist of Fate if you are a Ginger Rogers fan otherwise do not even bother.