Witness to Murder (1954): Cast & Plot
Witness to Murder is a 1954 crime thriller directed by Roy Rowland, starring Barbara Stanwyck as Cheryl Draper, George Sanders and Gary Merrill. It runs 1 hour 23 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 23m (83 min)
- Director
- Roy Rowland
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Chester Erskine Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Witness to Murder About?
The premise of Witness to Murder without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
THE SUSPENSE SHOCK OF THE YEAR! A woman fights to convince the police that she witnessed a murder while looking out her bedroom window.
Witness to Murder Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- murder
- witness to a murder
- detective
- woman in jeopardy
- insanity
- psychopath
- apartment
- ex nazi
- psychiatric patient
- neighbor
- typewriter
- fake suicide note
+38 more Show fewer
- attempted murder
- falling to death
- accusation of murder
- rescue
- voyeur
- psychiatric commitment
- strangled to death
- mind game
- author
- obsession
- police investigation
- deception
- psychiatric ward
- police station
- witness
- watching someone
- no one believes the protagonist
- fear
- dragging a corpse
- foot chase
- hysterical woman
- cigarette smoking
- letter
- female police officer
- apartment manager
- watching someone through a window
- fight
- book
- theft
- interior decorator
- scene during opening credits
- sedative
- hiding a corpse
- insane woman
- manipulation
- earring
- disbelief
- construction site
Witness to Murder Cast & Characters
Barbara Stanwyck leads the cast as Cheryl Draper, with George Sanders as Albert Richter and Gary Merrill as Police Lt. Lawrence Mathews. Directed by Roy Rowland; 26 actors are credited in all.
- Director Roy Rowland
-
Barbara Stanwyck as Cheryl Draper -
George Sanders as Albert Richter - Gary Merrill as Police Lt. Lawrence Mathews
- Lyn Thomas as Joyce Stewart (uncredited)
Also Starring in Witness to Murder
· 22 more- Claude Akins Police Officer (uncredited)
- Jesse White Police Sgt. Eddie Vincent
- Juanita Moore Negress - Mental Patient
- Bert Stevens Customer Outside Cheryl's Office Window (uncredited)
- Harry Tyler Charlie
- Dick Elliott Apartment Manager
- Harry Shannon Captain Donnelly
- Fred Graham Plainclothes Man (uncredited)
- Russell Custer Police Officer (uncredited)
- Claire Carleton May - Mental Patient
- Chalky Williams Police Officer (uncredited)
- Helen Kleeb Mental Ward Nurse
- Burt Mustin Building Night Watchman at End (uncredited)
- Jean Fenwick Nurse (uncredited)
- Lewis Martin Psychiatrist
- Sam Edwards Tommy (uncredited)
Show all 26 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Adeline De Walt Reynolds The Old Lady - Mental Patient (as Adeline de Walt Reynolds)
- Ted Thorpe Waiter (uncredited)
- Brad Trumbull Cop (uncredited)
- Joy Hallward Fellow Worker
- Gertrude Graner Policewoman (uncredited)
- Hugh Sheraton Cop (uncredited)
More from Roy Rowland
More films directed by Roy Rowland: Man Called Gringo, Gunfighters of Casa Grande, The Girl Hunters and Seven Hills of Rome.
Witness to Murder Plot Summary
What happens in Witness to Murder from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Cheryl Draper, played by Barbara Stanwyck, looks out of her bedroom window and witnesses a young woman being strangled. She promptly reports the murder to the police, only to watch events twist when the killer, Albert Richter, notices detectives arriving downstairs and stealthily moves the body out of sight. When the police arrive at Richter’s door, he greets them with an unsettling calm, and with no body found, they are inclined to dismiss Cheryl’s account as a product of a vivid imagination or a nightmare dream.
Full summary
The whole story of Witness to Murder, scene by scene
Witness to Murder Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Witness to Murder.
How Well Do You Know Witness to Murder?
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
Who is the woman who witnesses the strangulation from her bedroom window?
Cars in Witness to Murder
22 cars on screen, including the 1953 Ford Customline and the 1953 Ford Customline Country Sedan.
-
1953 Ford Customline Main role -
1953 Ford Customline Country Sedan Important role -
1953 Hillman Minx Phase VI Convertible Important role -
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Minor role
Witness to Murder Also Known As
9 alternative titles, including “El único testigo” and “Ti ho visto uccidere”.
- Also known as
-
- El único testigo
- Ti ho visto uccidere
- Testimoni d’un assassinat
- Zeugin des Mordes
- Свидетель убийства
- 碧窗艳影
- Testemunha do Crime
- Témoin de ce meurtre
- 위트니스 투 머더
Seen Witness to Murder?
Movies Like Witness to Murder
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Witness in the Dark, The Witness and Witness in the City.
Witness to Murder FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Witness to Murder, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Witness to Murder?
Witness to Murder runs 1 hour 23 minutes (83 minutes).
When was Witness to Murder released?
Witness to Murder was released on April 15, 1954.
Who directed Witness to Murder?
Witness to Murder was directed by Roy Rowland.
More films by Roy Rowland Who is in the cast of Witness to Murder?
Witness to Murder stars Barbara Stanwyck as Cheryl Draper, George Sanders as Albert Richter and Gary Merrill as Police Lt. Lawrence Mathews, among 26 credited actors.
Does Witness to Murder have a post-credit scene?
No. Witness to Murder has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
