Richard Boone singlehandedly lifts this modest but engaging whodunit to a higher plane: from a regular "genre piece" to a psychological study on obsession, delusion and loneliness. The cop he plays (also a suspect) is creepy, disturbing, and ultimately pitiable. In addition, Jean Peters (the murder victim, seen only in flashbacks) is one of the sexiest actresses of her era. *** out of 4.