The Bigamist

The Bigamist is a 1953 American drama film noir directed by Ida Lupino starring Joan Fontaine, Ida Lupino, Edmund Gwenn and Edmond O'Brien. Producer/Screenwriter Collier Young was married to Fontaine at the time and had previously been married to Lupino. The Bigamist has been cited as the first American feature film made in the sound era in which the female star of a film directed herself. Plot Harry (Edmond O'Brien) and Eve Graham (Joan Fontaine) want to adopt a child, as Eve is infertile. Adoption agent Mr. Jordan (Edmund Gwenn) advises the couple that, as a matter of routine, he needs to investigate their backgrounds and current lifestyle thoroughly. Harry responds with a worried, pensive look, which concerns Jordan. Harry and Eve live in San Francisco and are co-owners of a business, with Harry traveling to Los Angeles frequently for work. Jordan arrives at Harry's Los Angeles office looking for information about Harry. The receptionist calls around to all the hotels, but none of them have a Harry Graham registered. One or two of the managers remember Harry, but he hasn't been checked into their hotels in months. Jordan is puzzled and even more determined to investigate Harry. He visits the address listed in the phone book for a "Harrison Graham" and there finds Harry, with a different wife—and a baby. When Jordan is about to call the police, Harry tells him, via a lengthy flashback, how he got into this situation. Upon learning of Eve's infertility, Harry suggested that she join him in his business as a means of coping with her disappointment. Though she'd done well at work, she soon began to focus solely on the business, leaving Harry feeling lonely. While staying in a hotel in L.A., Harry met an interesting woman named Phyllis (Ida Lupino), on a bus tour of Hollywood movie stars' homes. They spent time together but parted, with Harry not expecting to see her again.