The Bigamist

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

80%

TOMATOMETER

Reviews Counted: 5

51%
liked it

Audience Score

User Ratings: 394

All Critics | Top Critics

Average Rating: N/A
Reviews Count: 0
Fresh: 0
Rotten: 0

Average Rating: 3.2/5

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Movie Info

The title character is Edmond O'Brien, a lonely travelling salesman who ends up married to two women, Eve (Joan Fontaine)--and Phyllis (Ida Lupino). Eventually, of course, the truth comes out. Directed by costar Ida Lupino, The Bigamist manages to evoke a certain amount of sympathy for Edmond O'Brien, without in any way advocating or excusing his lifestyle. It's worth noting that an Italian film made around the same time, also titled The Bigamist, is a comedy.

Rating:

PG
Genre:

Classics, Drama
Directed By:

Ida Lupino
Written By:

Collier Young
In Theaters:

Dec 3, 1953 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

May 31, 2005
Runtime:

79 minutes
Studio:

Film Chest

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Cast

Edmond O'Brien
as Harry Graham / Harrison Graham

Joan Fontaine
as Eve Graham

Ida Lupino
as Phyllis Martin

Edmund Gwenn
as Mr. Jordan

Jane Darwell
as Mrs. Connelly

Kenneth Tobey
as Tom Morgan

John Maxwell
as Judge

Peggy Maley
as Phone Operator

Mack Williams
as Prosecuting Attorney

James Todd
as Mr. Forbes

James Young
as Executive

Lilian Fontaine
as Miss Higgins

John Brown
as Dr. Wallace

Matt Dennis
as Himself

Jerry Housner
as Roy

Kem Dibbs
as Tanner Driver

Ken Drake
as Court Clerk

Mac Kim
as Boy on the Street

George Lee
as Head Waiter

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Critic Reviews for The Bigamist

All Critics (5) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (1) | DVD (1)

A splendid, heartless, virtuoso's performance it is again, larger than life and larger, too, than the film in which it finds itself.

Jul 20, 2018 | Full Review…

Isabel Quigly
The Spectator
Poorly cast and plotted, but still weirdly interesting.

Aug 8, 2014 | Rating: 2/5

Phil Hall
Film Threat
Drags its all-star cast through soap-opera melodramatics of a very high order.

Aug 16, 2011 | Full Review…

Kelly Vance
East Bay Express
The surprisingly modern-seeming ending casts some shadow onto easy conclusions.

Dec 25, 2009 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies
Got trapped in a ridiculous deep-freeze as if trying its best to make the bigamist into an Albert Schweitzer.

Jun 26, 2007 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

View All Critic Reviews (5)

Audience Reviews for The Bigamist

Ida Lupino fluidly directs and stars in this curious piece that seems to look as if it wants to rationalise a gentleman having 2 wives. Ed O'Brien is the poor travelling salesman who gets lonely on the road, who loves 2 women, and Ed Gwynne is the agency guy who discovers his secret. This was better than I thought it was going to be and Lupino rises on my estimation for the conscious choices she makes as a director that are different from usual studio think. Give her a shot, she earns it.