A stylish woman-in-distress tale, David Miller’s Sudden Fear is a noir thriller designed as a star vehicle for Joan Crawford toward the end of her Warner contract.
Grade: B (*** 1/2* out of *****)
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Theatrical release poster
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The screenplay about a successful playwright who marries a younger, handsome murderous man, was penned by Lenore J. Coffee and Robert Smith, based upon Edna Sherry’ story.
In the first scene, Myra Hudson (Crawford) rejects Lester Blaine (Palance) as the lead in her new play.
Later, upon meeting him on a train bound for San Francisco, she is swept off her feet and, after a brief courtship, she marries him.
Lester is unaware that Myra is making changes to her will, which she places into her personal dictating machine. She forgets to turn the machine off and, later, when Lester and his lover, Irene Neves (Grahame), are in Myra’s study, they find the original will. It stipulates that the bulk of her fortune be left to a foundation.
It’s Irene who suggests Myra’s murder, but unknown to the couple, their subsequent plotting is recorded.
In her haste to take the incriminating record, Myra drops and breaks it. She then concocts a scheme of her own to kill Lester and then place the blame on Irene.
While hiding in Irene’s apartment waiting for Lester, Myra is horrified at the sight of herself holding a gun. She decides to abandon the plan, but it’s too late; Lester has learned of her intentions. After some life-and-death shifts in everybody’s murderous aims, Lester chases Myra in his car through the streets of San Francisco. On foot, Myra is able to avoid him, although he gets out of the car in pursuit, and she has to hide. He returns to the car and drives around looking for her.
He eventually mistakes Irene for Myra, aiming the car at her. In the end, Lester crashes, killing himself and Irene.
Production values, especially Charles Lang’s black and whte lon location shooting and Elmer Bernstein’s score, are polished.
Earning his first Oscar nomination, Jack Palance would be nominated again the following year, for George Stevens’ Shane, and would win the Supporting Actor Oscar almost four decades later, in 1991 for City Slackers.
The movie was quite popular at the box office, extending the viability of Crawford’s career for anogther decade or so.
Curio Facts
Bruce Bennett, cast here as Crawford’s lawyer and friend, had played Crawford’s screen husband in her 1945 Oscar-winning picture, Mildred Pierce.
Cast
Joan Crawford as Myra Hudson
Jack Palance as Lester Blaine
Gloria Grahame as Irene Neves
Bruce Bennett as Steve Kearney
Virginia Huston as Ann Taylor
Mike Connors (billed as Touch Conners) as Junior Kearney
Credits:
Directed by David Miller
Screenplay by Lenore J. Coffee, Robert Smith, based on “Sudden Fear,” 1948 novel by Edna Sherry
Produced by Joseph Kaufman
Cinematography Charles Lang
Edited by Leon Barsha
Music by Elmer Bernstein
Color process Black and white
Company: Joseph Kaufman Productions
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date: August 7, 1952
Running time: 110 minutes
Budget $600,000
Box office $1.65 million (rentals)
My Oscar Book:
Oscar Nominations: 4
Best Actress: Joan Crawford
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Palance
Best Cinematography, Black and White: Charles Lang
Best Costume Design, Black and White: Sheila O’Brien
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context:
Crawford received her third and final Oscar nomination. It was the only time that she competed against her rival Bette Davis for Best Actress, who was nominated (for the tenth time) for The Star.
Hwever, neither actress won; Shirley Booth took home the prize for Come Back, Little Sheba (a role she had played on stage).
