Experiment Perilous (1944 Jacques Tourneur)

Good beginning in train in storm where George Brent (from tons of Bette Davis movies) meets slightly crazy Olive Blakeney, who promptly dies - that's the way to begin a film; and good fiery finale. It's what happens in the middle that's a bit iffy, with a bewildered looking Hedy Lamarr in a variety of unfortunate dresses being psychologically twisted by suave nutter Paul Lukas (Dodsworth, The Lady Vanishes).

Actually it had quite a few preumbrations (I think I've just invented that word) of Vertigo with its story of a professional being asked to look after a disturbed wife by a wealthy older husband; who becomes obsessed by her (ignoring his (girl)friend); with motif involving flowers.

There's an impressively fast crane shot which seems to zoom in on a passing carriage, filmed by Tony Gaudio, who's usually over at Warner Brothers along with Brent (this is an RKO picture). Roy Webb cleverly underscores everything with his typically appropriate and good music (he has a number of fine scores amongst his 262 credits including most - if not all - of the Lewton / RKO horrors).

To be honest, I didn't even take in it was a period piece, so I either wasn't paying attention, or the production values were quite low.