Hollow Triumph
poster
Directed by	Steve Sekely
Produced by	Paul Henreid
Written by	Murray Forbes (novel) Daniel Fuchs
Starring	Paul Henreid Joan Bennett
Music by	Sol Kaplan
Cinematography	John Alton
Editing by	Fred Allen
Distributed by	Eagle-Lion Films Inc.
Release date(s)	August 10, 1948 (US)
Running time	83 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Hollow Triumph, also known as The Scar in the United Kingdom, is a film noir released in 1948. It was directed by Steve Sekely and stars Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett.

[edit] Plot

John Muller (Paul Henreid), medical school dropout and brilliant crook has just been released from prison. He plans a holdup at an illegal gambling casino. The gangster who runs the casino has a reputation for tracking down and killing his enemies, no matter how far they go or how long they hide. The robbery goes bad and the mobsters running the place know exactly who tried to rob them when half the team is captured and inform on their companions before they are killed. Muller decides to leave town and lie low. While hiding out from the mob, he takes an office job recommended by his straight-as-an-arrow brother but he quickly decides that working for a living is nor for him. An opportunity for a big score comes to mind when he finds out that he's the exact look-a-like the psychologist Dr Bartok - the only difference is the doctor has a large scar on the side of his face. He plans to kill the man and take over his life.

He takes a photo of the doctor and uses it as a guide when he cuts a large scar onto the side of his face. Unfortunately, the developers of the photo reversed the negative and now Muller has the scar on the wrong side. He decides to go through with the plan anyway and no one notices the difference. The only one who knows his secret is the doctor's secretary (Joan Bennett), whom he starts an affair. After seeing patients for a few days and going through the doctors personal papers, Muller finds out that the doctor had no money. In fact he has a huge gambling debt with the mob. Muller tries to take off but he's mistaken for the doctor and killed - all the while pleading to his killers he was not the man they thought he was.

[edit] Cast

Joan Bennett plays the secretary of the psychiatrist John Muller impersonates

• Paul Henreid as John Muller / Dr. Victor Emil Bartok
• Joan Bennett as Evelyn Hahn
• Eduard Franz as Frederick Muller
• Leslie Brooks as Virginia Taylor
• John Qualen as Dr. Swangron D.D.S.
• Mabel Paige as Charwoman
• Herbert Rudley as Marcy
• Charles Arnt as Coblenz
• George Chandler as Artell, Photo Shop Assistant
• Sid Tomack as Aubrey, Photo Shop Manager
• Alvin Hammer as Jerry, Garage Attendant
• Ann Staunton as Blonde
• Paul E. Burns as Harold, Prison Clerk
• Charles Trowbridge as Prison Deputy Warden
• Morgan Farley as Howard Anderson

Cast note:

• Jack Webb has an uncredited role as a gangster, "Bullseye", only his second film credit.^[1]

[edit] Critical reaction

Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style notes "As in many of these B thrillers, the plot is contrived although the film's conclusion is as downbeat as any noir film since Scarlet Street.^[2]

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Hollow Triumph at the Internet Movie Database
• Hollow Triumph available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]
• Hollow Triumph at the TCM Movie Database
• Hollow Triumph at Allmovie