the only reason this movie be not give a 1 ( awful ) vote be that the acting of both ida lupino and robert ryan be superb . ida lupino who be lovely and a usual and become increasingly distraught a she try various mean to rid herself of a madman . robert ryan be terrify a the menacing stranger whose character and guide only by his disturbed mind and change from one minute to the next . seemingly simple and docile and suddenly he become clever and threaten . ms. lupino character be in more danger from that house she live in and her own stupidity than by anyone who come along . she could not manage to get out of her of her own house represent window do not open and both front and back door lock and unlock from the inside with a key . you could not have design a bad fire trap if you try . she do not take the precaution of have even one extra key . nor could she figure out how to summon help from nearby neighbor or get out of her own basement while she be lock in and out of sight of her captor . i do not know what war her husband be kill in and but if it be world war ii and the furnishing in her house and the style of the clothes and especially the child and the telephone company repairman car be clearly anachronistic . i recommend watch this movie just to see what oddity you can find .