possess be one of the marvelous genre hybrid that appear in the late 40 and early 50 . it be both film noir ( admittedly and an invented genre ) and woman picture . element of the latter genre include a female main character and her obsession with a lover who have move on . the noir element ( flashback and dark and moody photography and and a sinister and fatalistic edge to the proceeding ) raise this melodrama to nearly tragic height . it should not be dismiss a a throwaway crawford vehicle and or overgrown b picture . curtis bernhardt direct the film with a compelling assurance . this movie know where it go and it take you along for the ride . many scene have an enthralling dramatic appeal . early in the film and for example and louise be overwhelm by the van heflin character play a section from schumann carnaval on the piano . there be a terrific admixture of closeup of crawford face with the music . this music will play a subtle leitmotivic role in the rest of the film . worthy of note a well be franz waxman intense and not too romanticize score . and this film contain what must be an early use of electronic voice distortion to convey louise gradual descent toward a nervous breakdown . all actor raymond massey and van heflin and geraldine brook be good and bring more than a touch of conviction to their role . but joan crawford be at the center of the picture and and she give here what may be her very best screen performance . it be not surprising to learn that crawford be nominate for a best actress academy award for this detailed and gradated portrayal of a woman travel through a private hell . so convincing and inspire be this performance and that it be universal in it appeal . possess could form a trilogy with bear to kill ( 1947 and with claire trevor and lawrence tierney ) and no man of her own ( 1950 and with barbara stanwyck and lyle bettger ) represent all immensely entertaining journey through dark emotional landscape of obsession and betrayal and desperation .