The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946 film) a play, which had 72 performances at the Lyceum Theatre, in New York, from February to April 1936. The cast included Richard Barthelmess as Frank, Mary Philips as Cora, Joseph Greenwald as Nick and Dudley Clements as Sackett, with minor roles played by Joseph Cotten and Charles Halton. Lana Turner was cast as Cora Smith. Turner said this was a favorite role of hers. Cain felt that she was the perfect choice for Cora and was so impressed with her performance that he presented her with a leather-bound copy of the novel inscribed "For my dear Lana, thank you for
Lana Turner as an ingénue. During the early 1940s, Turner established herself as a leading actress and one of MGM's top performers, appearing in such films as the film noir "Johnny Eager" (1941); the musical "Ziegfeld Girl" (1941); the horror film "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1941); and the romantic war drama "Somewhere I'll Find You" (1942), one of several films in which she starred opposite Clark Gable. Turner's reputation as a glamorous femme fatale was enhanced by her critically acclaimed performance in the film noir "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946), a role which established her as a serious dramatic actress.