Just rewatched this and I think Bel Geddes does an admirable job with what might be one of the most difficult characters to play in the time frame. I'm trying to think of another actress who could embody all the contradictory character aspects that are thrown into Leonora Ames with any better success. We can ascribe that to a deficient script, but many of the film's defenders suggest that it's the collision of those character traits that is at the root of what the film is conveying. Leonora needs to be compared to other "women in peril/distress" to see how the approach differs from most films with such characters. I think some people expect to see her get stronger than she does--we expect her to more forcibly reveal her "inner feminist."

But rather than an innocent victim turned into a hardened convict (Eleanor Parker's character arc in CAGED) we have a post-WWII woman who is naive and deluded at the start, winds up in way over her head in a virulently abusive relationship, and battles with a series of conflicting forces that threaten to capsize her. (And while I think it might be a bit of an over-read to see Quintana as another "homme fatal," it's certainly clear that he exhibits pronounced patriarchal tendencies--which are amplified by the general tone & demeanor of James Mason, who despite his considerable talents isn't quite right for the part.)

If Ophuls had shot this film in France, Leonora almost certainly would have died in childbirth--which might evoke more sympathy for her plight retrospectively. But it was made in America, and so we get an abrupt "happy ending" that papers over much of what makes the rest of the film such an intriguing departure from the standard "melo-noir" of the period.

Which leaves us with another breathtaking performance from Robert Ryan, channeling Howard Hughes with a gleeful vengeance, making memorably stark entrances and exits from view, a truly toxic male. Despite whatever reservations might be held regarding the overall effectiveness of CAUGHT, I'd argue that it definitely should be included in a NC-style festival focused on the homme fatal.

What I think would be useful would be to construct such a festival lineup, using the standard 24-film template. Additionally, I think we'd be well-served by including films from around the world. (Even though it appears to be the case right now, America does not have a monopoly on toxic males.)

I encourage you all to ponder the idea and offer some candidate films for such a series...