The Saxon Charm

The Saxon Charm
The Saxon Charm
	1948 theatrical poster
Directed by	Claude Binyon
Written by	Frederic Wakeman Sr. (novel)
Screenplay by	Claude Binyon
Produced by	Joseph Sistrom
Starring	Robert Montgomery; Susan Hayward; John Payne; Audrey Totter
Cinematography	Milton R. Krasner
Edited by	Paul Weatherwax
Music by	Walter Scharf
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	September 29, 1948 (New York City);
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Saxon Charm is a 1948 American film noir drama film written and directed by Claude Binyon based on the novel of the same name by Frederic Wakeman Sr. and starring Robert Montgomery, Susan Hayward, John Payne and Audrey Totter.

Plot

In a hospital, theatrical producer Matt Saxon is introduced to writer Eric Busch, and ends up offering to produce Eric's new play with financing from millionaire Zack Humber.

Alma Wragge, a singer, is Saxon's girlfriend, but she warns Eric's wife Janet about the producer's notorious "Saxon charm" that coaxes others into doing his bidding, only to end up badly for everyone involved. Sure enough, Saxon's behavior soon ruins Alma's nightclub audition.

It isn't long before Saxon makes a pest of himself, interrupting a beach vacation Eric and Janet take, closing the show after a poor review, then persuading Eric to go off by himself to do rewrites. Saxon loses the financial backing of Humber so he works on his ex-wife, Vivian, to put up the money, not knowing she is broke.

Alma gets a chance to be in a Hollywood movie, but Saxon interferes with that as well. Janet, upset by Eric's absences, begins drinking and threatens to leave him. Eric finally punches Saxon, whose destructive nature contributes to his ex-wife's suicide but of which he appears to be unaware. Eric and Janet get away from him just in time.