IMDb RATING
7.0/10
5.1K
YOUR RATING
British police are after a serial killer who lures his female victims through newspaper personal ads and sends cryptic poem clues to the cops.British police are after a serial killer who lures his female victims through newspaper personal ads and sends cryptic poem clues to the cops.British police are after a serial killer who lures his female victims through newspaper personal ads and sends cryptic poem clues to the cops.
Cedric Hardwicke
- Julian Wilde
- (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Annette Warren
- Blonde Nightclub Singer
- (singing voice)
John Alban
- Concertgoer
- (uncredited)
Jimmy Aubrey
- Nelson
- (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict
- Concertgoer
- (uncredited)
Wilson Benge
- Police Criminologist
- (uncredited)
Paul Bradley
- Concertgoer
- (uncredited)
Colin Campbell
- Wilberforce
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe title was changed to "Personal Column" midway through the original U.S. theatrical release because staff at the Production Code Administration thought the word "lured" sounded too much like "lurid". Director Douglas Sirk felt the title change confused potential audiences and led to the film's box-office failure.
- GoofsSandra, a taxi dancer, is enlisted by Scotland Yard to help catch the killer. Within a short period of time, she is appointed to be a detective and she is issued a gun. This all happens without an interview or any training. At Scotland Yard, firearms are only issued to senior officers, and most certainly not to a recruited civilian such as Sandra.
- Quotes
Sandra Carpenter: What is it tonight? A sweepstakes for zombies? I hope you two will be very happy.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits - a flashlight pans along the side of a building, and the credits are written on the side of the wall.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Vampira Returns: Lured 1947 (1956)
Featured review
In a way, it's easy to see why Lucille Ball did not achieve mega movie stardom. By the time she was getting decent roles, she was in her thirties, and back in those days, that was getting long in the tooth. Though she was beautiful, she had the delivery of a character woman -- great comic timing and dry wit. I suspect Hollywood wasn't sure what to do with her -- too pretty for the Eve Arden roles, and not ingenue enough for the leading lady ones.
In "Lured," Ball plays Sandra Carpenter, an American dancer living in London whose good friend and fellow dancer disappears after answering a personal ad. The police, led by Inspector Temple (Charles Coburn) have been frustrated by a series of poems they have been receiving before a murder of a young woman takes place. They feel helpless. When it turns out that Sandra's friend is a victim of the mad poet, the Harley asks Sandra to act as bait and answer suspect ads. They will be watching her at all times.
Sandra has some strange adventures -- one with a whack job (Boris Karloff) who wants to paint her in costume, and then she is invited to a concert where her date does not show up. There, she meets wealthy Robert Fleming (George Sanders) who sweeps her off her feet. Could he be the killer? Could it be the strange doctor she meets? There are a few suspects.
Well directed by Douglas Sirk, known later for his big glossy soap opera type films, "Lured" has suspense and atmosphere, though it moves from a mystery to a love story mid-script. However, the performances are very good - Lucy looks stunning in her gowns and she plays the down to earth, savvy young woman very well; George Sanders is smooth as silk, and the two have good chemistry. Sir Cedric Hardwicke gives a standout performance, and Coburn is excellent. "Alfred the Butler" from the Batman series, Alan Napier, is also in the film, as is George Zucco.
Recommended. Very enjoyable. Just wish the emphasis had been more on the mystery.
In "Lured," Ball plays Sandra Carpenter, an American dancer living in London whose good friend and fellow dancer disappears after answering a personal ad. The police, led by Inspector Temple (Charles Coburn) have been frustrated by a series of poems they have been receiving before a murder of a young woman takes place. They feel helpless. When it turns out that Sandra's friend is a victim of the mad poet, the Harley asks Sandra to act as bait and answer suspect ads. They will be watching her at all times.
Sandra has some strange adventures -- one with a whack job (Boris Karloff) who wants to paint her in costume, and then she is invited to a concert where her date does not show up. There, she meets wealthy Robert Fleming (George Sanders) who sweeps her off her feet. Could he be the killer? Could it be the strange doctor she meets? There are a few suspects.
Well directed by Douglas Sirk, known later for his big glossy soap opera type films, "Lured" has suspense and atmosphere, though it moves from a mystery to a love story mid-script. However, the performances are very good - Lucy looks stunning in her gowns and she plays the down to earth, savvy young woman very well; George Sanders is smooth as silk, and the two have good chemistry. Sir Cedric Hardwicke gives a standout performance, and Coburn is excellent. "Alfred the Butler" from the Batman series, Alan Napier, is also in the film, as is George Zucco.
Recommended. Very enjoyable. Just wish the emphasis had been more on the mystery.
- How long is Lured?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Personal Column
- Filming locations
- Piccadilly Circus, Piccadilly, London, England, UK(opening establishing shots - archive footage)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $700,000
- Runtime1 hour 42 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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