The Unknown (1946): Cast & Plot
The Unknown is a 1946 horror thriller directed by Henry Levin, starring Helen Freeman as Phoebe Martin, Karen Morley and Robert Wilcox. It runs 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 10m (70 min)
- Director
- Henry Levin
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Columbia Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Unknown About?
The premise of The Unknown without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Concluding Columbia’s I Love A Mystery series, a desperate woman hires two detectives to protect her until she can claim her inheritance. As night falls, they face threats that blend romance with deadly danger, racing against time to keep her alive long enough to secure the fortune.
The Unknown Themes & Keywords
· 45 tags- psychotronic film
- family relationships
- daughter
- estate
- vindication
- uncle niece relationship
- sister sister relationship
- mother daughter relationship
- father daughter relationship
- aunt niece relationship
- united states of america
- shrunken head
+33 more Show fewer
- shock
- series
- revenge
- regain sanity
- private detective
- pregnancy
- police officer
- murder
- marriage
- investigation
- insanity
- granddaughter
- frame up
- flashback
- family secret
- family discord
- faked death
- explorer
- elopement
- dysfunctional family
- detective
- deception
- death of grandmother
- death of grandfather
- criminal
- b movie
- 1940s
- 1930s
- 1920s
- based on radio show
- haunted house
- death of mother
- death of father
The Unknown Cast & Characters
Helen Freeman leads the cast as Phoebe Martin, with Karen Morley as Rachel Martin and Robert Wilcox as Richard Arnold. Directed by Henry Levin; 11 actors are credited in all.
- Director Henry Levin
- Helen Freeman as Phoebe Martin
-
Karen Morley as Rachel Martin - Robert Wilcox as Richard Arnold
- Robert Kellard as James Wetherford (as Robert Stevens)
Also Starring in The Unknown
· 7 more- Wilton Graff Ralph Martin
- James Bell Edward Martin
- Jeff Donnell Nina Arnold
- Barton Yarborough Doc Long
- Jim Bannon Jack Packard
- Mark Roberts Reed Cawthorne (as Robert Scott)
- J. Louis Johnson Joshua (uncredited)
More from Henry Levin
More films directed by Henry Levin, best-rated first: Where the Boys Are, Scout’s Honor, That Man Bolt and The Desperados.
The Unknown Plot Summary
What happens in The Unknown from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In a grand Kentucky mansion, Captain Selby Martin and Phoebe Martin confront a tangled family secret: their daughter Rachel Martin has secretly married Richard Arnold, even as they had hoped she would be engaged to James Wetherford. A heated confrontation between Selby and Richard ends with the captain’s accidental death. Phoebe, steady and calculating, arranges for his burial in a crypt guarded by their sons Ralph Martin and Edward Martin, and she refuses Rachel permission to marry Richard. The shock of the tragedy unsettles Rachel, leaving her emotionally fragile, and she gives birth to a baby girl who Phoebe later raises through others.
Full summary
The whole story of The Unknown, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Unknown?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In which state is the grand family mansion located?
Seen The Unknown?
Movies Like The Unknown
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Unknown Girl, I Love a Mystery and The Unknown.
The Unknown FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Unknown, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Unknown?
The Unknown runs 1 hour 10 minutes (70 minutes).
When was The Unknown released?
The Unknown was released on July 4, 1946.
Who directed The Unknown?
The Unknown was directed by Henry Levin.
More films by Henry Levin Who is in the cast of The Unknown?
The Unknown stars Helen Freeman as Phoebe Martin, Karen Morley as Rachel Martin and Robert Wilcox as Richard Arnold, among 11 credited actors.
Does The Unknown have a post-credit scene?
No. The Unknown has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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