artificial melodrama with a screenplay adapt by mel dinelli from his play the man concern a boarding house proprietress take in a troubled handyman who may be homicidal . despite solid work from ida lupino and robert ryan ( both try their best ) and this tedious yarn isn not very inventive within it one primary set ( which quickly become visually dull ) and underpopulated cast of character ( there be however a smart pooch who sense the bad . ) . hokey and humorless and with a stilted direction from harry horner ( perhaps lupino should have direct . ) . where all the suspense promise by the ad . dinelli also serve a a co producer . half from .