I Wake Up Screaming (1941)

Why is Inspector Ed Cornell trying to railroad Frankie Christopher for the murder of model Vicky Lynn?

Director:

H. Bruce Humberstone

Writers:

Dwight Taylor (screen play), Steve Fisher (novel)

Stars:

Betty Grable, Victor Mature, Carole Landis

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Betty Grable	...	Jill Lynn
Victor Mature	...	Frankie Christopher
Carole Landis	...	Vicky Lynn
Laird Cregar	...	Ed Cornell
William Gargan	...	Jerry MacDonald
Alan Mowbray	...	Robin Ray
Allyn Joslyn	...	Larry Evans
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Harry Williams
Chick Chandler	...	Reporter
Cyril Ring	...	Reporter
Morris Ankrum	...	Asst. District Attorney
Charles Lane	...	Keating, Florist
Frank Orth	...	Caretaker
Gregory Gaye	...	Headwaiter
May Beatty	...	Mrs. Handel (as Mae Beatty)

Storyline

Promoter Frankie Christopher, being grilled by police in the murder of model Vicky Lynn, recalls in flashback: First meeting her as a waitress, Frankie decides to parlay her beauty into social acceptance and a lucrative career. He succeeds only too well: she's on the eve of deserting him for Hollywood...when someone kills her. Now Frankie gets the feeling that Inspector Ed Cornell is determined to pin the killing on him and only him. He's right. And the only one he can turn to for help is Jill, the victim's sister, who's been cool toward him...

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Plot Keywords:

promoter | police | murder | inspector | model | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hot Spot

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Daddy" (music and lyrics by Bobby Troup), plugged by Betty Grable in a store's music department, was cut from the film so that Twentieth Century-Fox could showcase Miss Grable in a fully dramatic role. The shooting script had Betty working as a stenographer instead of plugging songs. As her sole musical moment, Miss Grable hummed a bit of the Tchaikovsky-based ballad, "The Things I Love" (music and lyrics by Harold Barlow and Lewis Harris), during a car ride with Victor Mature and Carole Landis. Most of the ditty would be sung by Miss Landis later in the movie. Footage of Miss Grable performing "Daddy" still exists.

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Goofs

During the nightclub scene, Frankie removes a price tag from Vicky's glove that wasn't in previous shots.

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Quotes

Ed Cornell: I'll follow you into your grave. I'll write my name on your tombstone.

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Connections

Featured in American Grindhouse (2010)

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Soundtracks

"The Things I Love"
(uncredited)
Music and lyrics by Harold Barlow and Lewis Harris
Based on Tchaikovsky's "Melody," Op. 42, No.3
Sung by Carole Landis

User Reviews

intriguing ...

Despite Victor Mature's claim that he never 'acted' in any of his films, he does well enough here. Full of shadows, sly humour and a storyline which keeps you guessing, plus that wonderful soundtrack (including snatches of Over The Rainbow), this stands as a monument to film noir - Betty Grable could clearly handle a non-musical role, Elisha Cook Jnr displays his twitchy vulnerability as he would in so many 40s thrillers. The real-life early deaths of Landis (playing Vicki here in a manner which reminded me of Vivien Leigh's Blanche Dubois, all flirty giggles) and Cregar (superb here as the corrupt detective gliding and purring in that unusual voice like a huge cat) do affect viewings of this film and give the proceedings a hint of sadness. This aside, there is much to enjoy, particularly in the supporting characters of Mature's actor and columnist friends. One niggle though, given the plot dependence on various people letting themselves into other people's apartments, how come Vicki got herself locked out?