The Red House (1947)

A reclusive farmer (Edward G. Robinson) and his sister (Judith Anderson) have raised a young girl (Allene Roberts) as their own after the mysterious disappearance of her parents. When a young man (Lon McCallister) comes into the young girl's life, the farmer begins to unravel and the dark secrets of the abandoned red house in the woods threaten to destroy their peaceful existence. Based on the novel by George Agnew Chamberlain and directed by Delmer Daves (A SUMMER PLACE). This taut psychological thriller has a plot that is fairly transparent and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the "secret" of the red house but Daves manages to create a turbulent and threatening ambience that keeps the viewer intrigued. Robinson, in particular, gives an unsettling portrait of repressed guilt and sexual repression. The eerie score by Miklos Rozsa which features the theremin contributes to the unsettling mood of the film. With Rory Calhoun, Ona Munson and a very sexy, young Julie London as the teenaged tease juggling both McCallister and Calhoun.