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The Spiral Staircase (1946)

Directed by Robert Siodmak · Cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca

Approved83 min64 frames

HorrorMysteryThriller

Conflicts that freeze your emotions! Suspense that takes your breath!

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Stills, screencaps & shots from The Spiral Staircase

16 of 64 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: fullbody — A dark ballroom filled with dense foliage and large floral arrangements against the walls. A man…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: medium — A dark theater audience is seated in rows watching a performance. They are wearing formal 1940s…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: closeup — A dark space with a heavy, patterned fabric curtain obscuring most of the frame. One eye of a man…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: medium — A dark staircase landing features a stark wall-mounted lamp and an iron railing. A woman in a…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: medium — A dusty wine cellar features wooden racks filled with cobweb-covered glass bottles. A man and…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: closeup — A head-and-shoulders portrait of a young woman in an interior setting. She stares forward…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: closeup — The frame shows a close-up of a woman's face against a dark, vignette background. Her mouth is…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: medium — A dark subterranean space contains wooden barrels and brick walls partially illuminated by…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: medium — A dimly lit room features ornate Victorian furniture and heavy curtains draped over windows. Two…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: closeup — A dimly lit area with dark walls and a patterned vertical border near the subject. A woman looks…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: wide — A large, wood-paneled library features floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and ornate antique furniture. A…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: fullbody — A dimly lit stone cellar with brick walls and wooden beams overhead. A woman holding a single…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: closeup — A close-up view of a young woman sitting in a dimly lit room. She looks toward the side of the…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: medium — A dimly lit wooden barn interior with visible spiderwebs hanging on a structural frame. A woman…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: fullbody — A rain-drenched park at night features dark trees and wet ground. A man in a trench coat and…The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie still: medium — A dark hallway in a mansion features ornate furniture in the foreground. A woman stands…
The Spiral Staircase (1946) — © RKO Radio Pictures, Dore Schary Productions

The Spiral Staircase — official trailer

What is The Spiral Staircase about?

On a stormy night, the mute servant to an ailing matriarch is stalked by a serial killer.

Where can you watch The Spiral Staircase?

US availability for The Spiral Staircase (1946). Data by JustWatch, listings on TMDB. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in The Spiral Staircase?

Who made The Spiral Staircase?

What does the cinematography of The Spiral Staircase look like?

Across 63 sampled frames, The Spiral Staircase builds its coverage from medium shots (57% of the sample), with close-ups (16%) carrying much of the rest. Cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca keeps 73% of it in soft, low-key light. 75% of the frames play at night or in the failing light of dusk. Vintage glass shapes the frame. Focus stays shallow in 59% of the frames, isolating subjects from their surroundings. The production design places the film in the 1940s.

What is the color palette of The Spiral Staircase?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of The Spiral Staircase (1946) are #040404, #2f2f2e, #8b8b8b, #494848, #707070, #b2b2b2 — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #040404
  • #2f2f2e
  • #8b8b8b
  • #494848
  • #707070
  • #b2b2b2

See the full The Spiral Staircase colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

A reference database for filmmakers

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Techniques in this film

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Cast, trailer and streaming data from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.