MovieChat Forums > Phone Call from a Stranger (1952) Discussion > Major Goof at 1:24:10 for Phone Call fro...

Major Goof at 1:24:10 for Phone Call from a Stranger



When Marie Hoke (Bette Davis) is on the diving board during her trip to Chicago with her illicit lover, it is clear that Bette Davis' face is superimposed on a body double. The vignette lines are painfully obvious. Granted, I was able to freeze the picture as I viewed it on Hulu while movie goers in 1952 may not have noticed this as much.

All in all, this is an enjoyable film and this goof does not detract from my enjoyment of the film. Rather, it enhances my appreciation of the way the movie business worked back then. They took pains in an attempt to fool audiences while maintaining Bette's contract status.

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. - Proverbs 23:7

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What do you mean by Bette's contract status? But, regardless, I don't agree with you that her face is superimposed. At least, not in this live shot; it certainly is in the photo that her husband flashes around.

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I just went to that exact scene and do not, for the life of me, know what you are talking about!

There is NO superimposition of anything! Get those eyes checked often, please.

Enrique Sanchez

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Could he perhaps be referring to the snapshot of Bette that Keenan shows to the group? It does appear to be a shot of Bette's head placed on a cheesecake shot of another woman. It does seem unlikely though they would have gone to the expense and trouble of superimposing her head over the body of another woman in actual footage.

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You're very wrong. As has been mentioned, the snapshot that Keenan Wynn flashes was glaringly and unconvincingly doctored. However, in the diving scene itself, there's a close-up of Davis from the shoulders up which is unenhanced, followed by a long-shot of what must certainly have been a body double taking the high dive. But you can't even see the face of the double; the sun is behind her, and she's very far from the camera.

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Eliot:

When is that? During their first scene together or on the plan?

Enrique Sanchez

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