Sudden Fear (1952)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

David Miller

Writers:

Lenore J. Coffee (writer)
Edna Sherry (novel)

Release Date:

August 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

Every Suspenseful Moment...Every Embrace...Every Kiss - A Breathtaking Experience!

Plot:

A wealthy lady playwright is wooed by and ultimately marries a younger actor/con artist she once fired.

Plot Keywords:

Cat And Mouse | Actor | Playwright | Recording | Gun

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Myra Hudson
Jack Palance	...	Lester Blaine
Gloria Grahame	...	Irene Neves
Bruce Bennett	...	Steve Kearney
Virginia Huston	...	Ann Taylor
Mike Connors	...	Junior Kearney (as Touch Connors)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:M | Norway:16 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

2800 Scott Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Joseph Kaufmann Productions

Trivia:

According to a story told by Jack Palance, Joan Crawford and Gloria Grahame did not get along and got into a physical altercation at one point during the filming. The fight started after Grahame sat on the edge of the set during a Crawford closeup and very obviously sucked and smacked loudly on a lolly pop in an attempt to wind Crawford up. It worked, and Palance noted that the all male crew watched the fight for a few moments rather curiously before stepping in to end it.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After Lester puts down Irene's telephone, he calls out her name three times but the second we hear her name, his lips don't move at all.

Quotes:

Myra Hudson: I was just wondering what I'd done to deserve you

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Michael, Angelo and David (1976)

Soundtrack:

SUDDEN FEAR

They Knew How to Make Movies in 1952 (not anymore)

This picture, as well as the re-issue of KING KONG, were the first two movies to be heavily advertised on television. A big success for RKO Radio Pictures. Being an RKO Picture you can expect lots of on-location photography and seeing places like New York and San Francisco as they were 55 years ago adds to the appeal of this fine movie.

SUDDEN FEAR was nominated for 4 Academy Awards (given in 1952 for high quality rather than political opinion), and this recognition was well deserved. An obvious -- and pretty successful -- imitation of Hitchcock this movie is one of the best murder mysteries ever made. I've never seen Joan Crawford or Jack Palance play better roles. David Miller's direction is inspired. And the black and white cinematography meets the highest standard.

Since they haven't yet made a good movie in 2008, and apparently intend to continue a 90% diet of so-called action movies --- utterly lacking in courage or purpose, where the hero solves made-believe problems by using computer animation instead of brains... Don't get me started. Just go back to the good ones, rent the DVD of Sudden Fear.