Director: Gordon Douglas

Writer: Sydney Boehm

From novel by: Howard Fast (as "E. V. Cunningham")

Music: David Raksin

Producer: Martin H. Poll

Keywords: Drama

Name	Occupation	Birth	Death	Known for
Carroll Baker	Actor	28-May-1931		Baby Doll
Lloyd Bochner	Actor	29-Jul-1924	29-Oct-2005	It's a cookbook
Alan Carney	Actor	22-Dec-1909	2-May-1973	Comedy duo, Brown & Carney
Anthony Caruso	Actor	7-Apr-1916	4-Apr-2003	American character actor
Joanne Dru	Actor	31-Jan-1922	10-Sep-1996	She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
Connie Gilchrist	Actor	17-Jul-1895	3-Mar-1985	Character actress
Nancy Kovack	Actor	11-Mar-1935		Jason and the Argonauts
Peter Lawford	Actor	7-Sep-1923	24-Dec-1984	Rat Pack member
Viveca Lindfors	Actor	29-Dec-1920	25-Oct-1995	Night Unto Night
George Maharis	Actor	1-Sep-1928		Buzz Murdock on Route 66
Jay Novello	Actor	22-Aug-1904	2-Sep-1982	The Lost World
Edmond O'Brien	Actor	10-Sep-1915	9-May-1985	The Great Imposter
Aldo Ray	Actor	25-Sep-1926	27-Mar-1991	The Green Berets
Ann Sothern	Actor	22-Jan-1909	15-Mar-2001	Private Secretary

CAST

Carroll Baker	...   Sylvia
George Maharis	...   Alan Macklin
Co-Starring
Joanne Dru	...   Jane Phillips
Peter Lawford	...   Frederick Summers
Viveca Lindfors	...   Irma Olanski
Edmond O'Brien	...   Oscar Stewart
Aldo Ray	...   Mr. Karoki
Ann Sothern	...   Grace Argona
Lloyd Bochner	...   Bruce Stamford III
with
Paul Gilbert	...   Lola Diamond
Jay Novello	...   Fr. Gonzales
Nancy Kovack	...   Big Shirley
Gene Lyons	...   Gavin Cullen
Anthony Caruso	...   Muscles
Val Avery	...   Pudgey
Alan Carney	...   Gus
Manuel Padilla	...   Pancho
Majel Barrett	...   Anne
Shirley O'Hara	...   Mrs. Karoki

REVIEWS

Review by anonymous (posted on 25-Jun-2006)

The filmic trope of presenting a mystery woman to the viewer through the recollections of her friends and lovers has a long history. Perhaps "Laura" is the most famous. A much lesser-known one is the British "Woman in Question." "Sylvia" is in that tradition: a wealthy man wants to find out about the background of his fiancée, Sylvia, so hires a private detective to investigate. As the P.I. encounters people from Sylvia's past, the stories that they tell him are the flashback elements of the film. There's a very touching episode with Viveca Lindfors, as well as one with Ann Sothern. While the film is somewhat desultory in its pacing, it's got some great folks-Edmund O'Brien, Joanne Dru, etc.--and a suitably disengaged performance from Carroll Baker in the title role. It actually works well for the character, who throughout a series of tawdry experiences has kept a part of herself removed and untouched. We also get to see a well-toned George Maharis with his pajama top off--another reason to catch the film if it ever shows up. David Raksin, who composed the score for "Laura," some twenty years earlier, provides a nice score for "Sylvia" (note the use of the waltz from William Wyler's "Carrie"--also a Paramount film-- in the scene at the restaurant with Sothern and Maharis).

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