History Film / ThePostmanAlwaysRingsTwice1946

* FeetFirstIntroduction: Cora, in the most memorable scene in the picture. Following Frank's MaleGaze, the camera starts at her feet, pans up to (and lingers on) her [[ShesGotLegs shapely legs]], then cuts to reveal her wearing shorts and a midriff-baring top. She makes an impression.

''The Postman Always Rings Twice'' is the best-known screen adaptation of [[Literature/ThePostmanAlwaysRingsTwice the eponymous novel]], directed by Tay Garnett and released in 1946. It is considered one of the key entries in the FilmNoir genre.

Compare [[Film/ThePostmanAlwaysRingsTwice1981 the 1981 version]] with Creator/JessicaLange and Creator/JackNicholson, and ''Film/{{Ossessione}}'', the first film adaptation of the novel, made in Italy in 1943. Both the 1946 and 1981 versions are currently owned by Creator/WarnerBros, with the 1946 version being part of the [[UsefulNotes/TedTurner Turner Entertainment]] library, and the 1981 version being inherited from Creator/{{Lorimar}}.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Of the [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Snyder Snyder-Gray]] murder.

Compare [[Film/ThePostmanAlwaysRingsTwice1981 the 1981 version]] with Creator/JessicaLange and Creator/JackNicholson, and ''Film/{{Ossessione}}'', the first film adaptation of the novel, made in Italy in 1943.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_postman_always_rings_twice_1946_film.jpg]]

Frank Chambers (John Garfield) drifts into a dusty rural California town, in search of a good meal. At the diner, he finds a meal, a job, and a beautiful woman named Cora (Creator/LanaTurner). Within a small bit of time, Frank and Cora have a passionate affair. But Cora is married already, to a man she doesn't love. She wants to start over and live a new life with Frank, but not lose the diner. They see the murder of Cora's husband Nick (Cecil Kellaway) as a perfect solution. But how will they deal with the consequences of their actions, and will they get caught?

* DownerEnding: They got away with the murder, but Cora is now dead. Frank is convicted of murdering her, even though she died in a car accident genuinely ''was'' an accident.

* DownerEnding: They got away with the murder, but Cora is now dead. Frank is convicted of murdering her, even though she died in a car accident that was genuinely an accident.

''The Postman Always Rings Twice'' is the better-known adaptation of ''Literature/ThePostmanAlwaysRingsTwice'', directed by Tay Garnett and released in 1946. It is considered one of the key entries in the FilmNoir genre.

Frank Chambers (John Garfield) drifts into a dusty rural California town, in search of a good meal. At the diner, he finds a meal, a job, and a beautiful woman named Cora (Creator/LanaTurner). Within a small bit of time, Frank and Cora have a passionate affair. But Cora is married already, to a man she doesn't love. She wants to start over and live a new life with Frank, but not lose the diner. They see the murder of Cora's husband Nick as a perfect solution. How will they deal with the consequences of their actions, and will they get caught?

* WomanInWhite: Cora dresses entirely in white throughout the film, save for two scenes in which she wears black.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse?: We never find out what happens with regard to Nick's sister being cared for or the land deal for the Twin Oaks property.

* WhatAboutTheMouse?: We never find out what happens with regard to Nick's sister being cared for or the land deal for the Twin Oaks property.

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