The Fan is a 1949 American drama film directed by Otto Preminger, starring Jeanne Crain, Madeleine Carroll, George Sanders, and Richard Greene.

A flashback to the Victorian era reveals she is the scandalous Mrs. Erlynne, who in middle age becomes associated with Lord Arthur Windermere, whose young and beautiful but socially conservative wife Margaret tends to judge others harshly.

When Margaret hears the stories, she mistakenly believes the two are involved in a clandestine affair and subsequently succumbs to the charms of Lord Robert Darlington, who has made no secret of his ongoing romantic interest in her.

In order to protect Margaret's reputation, Mrs. Erlynne sacrifices her own happiness by placing herself in a compromising position that jeopardizes her pending marriage to Augustus Lorton.

"[3] Variety said that the adaption was "refreshing and neatly uses the flashback technique", and it praised the "strong production values" and Preminger's "judicious use of unusual camera shots", as well as the pacing, editing and cinematography.