Lady of Deceit (aka Born to Kill)

Date: 1947
Director: Robert Wise
Production Company: RKO Radio Pictures

Stars: Claire Trevor, Lawrence Tierney, Walter Slezak, Phillip Terry, Audrey Long, Elisha Cook Jnr., Isabel Jewell, Esyther Howard. Kathryn Card, Tony Barrett, Grandon Rhodes
Location(s): Reno, Nevada : San Francisco, California : Pasadena, California

Region(s):

Storyline:

A man kills a girl he likes and her boyfriend out of jealousy; it may not be his first killings. A woman whose divorce has just come through finds the bodies then decides not to become involved. The two meet next day on the train to San Francisco unaware of this link between them. They are attracted to each other and the relationship survives his marriage to her half-sister for money and status. It even survives the woman discovering that he was the murderer, though she may not realise how easily someone who has killed this way before could do so again. 

Additional Information:

Screen captures uploaded by Richard Lovejoy

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Reno Arch, N Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada Circa 1947

Reno Arch, N Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada

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N Virginia St, Reno Nevada Circa 1947

N Virginia St, Reno Nevada.

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Washoe County Courthouse, 117 S. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada. Circa 1947

Helen Brent (Claire Trevor) and her divorce lawyer are seen leaving the courthouse. Washoe County Courthouse, 117 S. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada.

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Helen returns to the house where she lives to tell the landlady, Mrs Kraft (Esther Howard), she is leaving. Unknown location.

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N Virginia St, Reno Nevada. Circa 1947

That evening she goes into town to a casino. N Virginia St, Reno Nevada.

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There she bumps into Laury Palmer (Isabel Jewell), a friend of Mrs Kraft, with her boyfriend Danny (Tony Barrett) who later go back “to her place”. Unknown location but it could be near to Capture 4 as the trees look very similar.

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However, her other boyfriend Sam Wilde (Lawrence Tierney) is there to murder them both. Helen, later finding the bodies, decides, like Sam to ‘get out of town’ and chance brings them together at the station catching the train to San Francisco.

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Oakland Bay Bridge. Circa 1947

The location of San Francisco is set. Oakland Bay Bridge.

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Mrs Kraft employs the services of a private detective, Albert Arnett (Walter Slezak) to investigate, aside from the police, the murder of Laury. This looks rather like a set with the back projection of the Courthouse in Reno.

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‘Arden Villa’, 1145 Arden Road, Pasadena, Ca. Circa 1947

Sam unexpectedly calls on Helen at her home, that of her half sister Georgia Staples (Audrey Long). ‘Arden Villa’, 1145 Arden Road, Pasadena, Ca. Known as the ‘Dynasty Mansion’ because it is home to the lily pond where Krystle and Alexis played out one of the classic catfights.

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San Francisco harbour Circa 1947

Sam awaits the arrival of his friend Marty Waterman (Elisha Cook Jr.) who is due on the Ferry. San Francisco harbour.

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Marty exits the terminal building. Ferry Building, San Francisco.

Marty exits the terminal building. Marty exits the terminal building. Ferry Building, San Francisco.

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Looking south east along The Embarcadero, San Francisco Circa 1947

He hails a cab to go to 4106 Calvert Street. Looking south east along The Embarcadero

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The Ferry Building, San Francisco

But Albert is right there, watching and listening.

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‘Arden Villa’, 1145 Arden Road, Pasadena, Ca Circa 1947

Albert makes his way to ‘Arden Villa’ to learn that Helen’s half sister Georgia has just married “some lucky diff”. ‘Arden Villa’, 1145 Arden Road, Pasadena, Ca

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‘Arden Villa’, 1145 Arden Road, Pasadena, Ca Circa 1947

Albert inveigles his way into the house on account of hunger in exchange for chores. Here he finds that she is marrying Sam.

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Sam becomes suspicious of what Albert is doing and whom he is working for so his friend Marty gets involved with Mrs Kraft. Sam shows up and kills Marty believing he is in love with Helen. El Segundo, California according to imdb

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Market Street and the corner with Steuart Street, San Francisco Circa 1947

Without a spoiler, Albert buys a newspaper to read of the turn of events. Market Street and the corner with Steuart Street, San Francisco

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He heads off back to the ferry for the journey back to Reno. The Ferry Building, San Francisco in the background.