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IMDbPro

The Shrike

  • 19551955
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
180
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
97,130
25,923
June Allyson and José Ferrer in The Shrike (1955)
Drama
A successful theatrical director is driven to failure by the machinations of his vengeful wife. Eventually, he lands in a mental hospital where both his wife and his new love, a young actres... Read allA successful theatrical director is driven to failure by the machinations of his vengeful wife. Eventually, he lands in a mental hospital where both his wife and his new love, a young actress named Charlotte, are waiting to see him.A successful theatrical director is driven to failure by the machinations of his vengeful wife. Eventually, he lands in a mental hospital where both his wife and his new love, a young actress named Charlotte, are waiting to see him.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
180
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
97,130
25,923
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • José Ferrer
    • Writers
      • Ketti Frings
      • Joseph A. Kramm(play)
    • Stars
      • José Ferrer
      • June Allyson
      • Joy Page
    Top credits
    • Director
      • José Ferrer
    • Writers
      • Ketti Frings
      • Joseph A. Kramm(play)
    • Stars
      • José Ferrer
      • June Allyson
      • Joy Page
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 13User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos7

    June Allyson in The Shrike (1955)
    José Ferrer in The Shrike (1955)
    June Allyson and José Ferrer in The Shrike (1955)
    June Allyson in The Shrike (1955)
    June Allyson and José Ferrer in The Shrike (1955)
    The Shrike (1955)

    Top cast

    Edit
    José Ferrer
    José Ferrer
    • Jim Downs
    June Allyson
    June Allyson
    • Ann Downs
    Joy Page
    Joy Page
    • Charlotte Moore
    Kendall Clark
    • Dr. R.S. Bellman
    Isabel Bonner
    • Dr. Barrow
    Jay Barney
    • Dr. Kramer
    Richard Benedict
    Richard Benedict
    • Gregory, Male Nurse
    Herbie Faye
    Herbie Faye
    • Tager
    Martin Benedict
    • Jimmy
    Will Kuluva
    Will Kuluva
    • John Ankortis
    Martin Newman
    • Carlos O'Brien
    Billy M. Greene
    Billy M. Greene
    • Schloss
    • (as Billy Greene)
    Somar Alberg
    • Dr. Schlesinger
    Joe Comadore
    • Major
    Leigh Whipper
    • Carlisle
    Mary Hayley Bell
    Mary Hayley Bell
    • Miss Wingate - Nurse
    Edward Platt
    Edward Platt
    • Harry Downs
    • (as Edward C. Platt)
    Adrienne Marden
    Adrienne Marden
    • Miss Raymond
    • Director
      • José Ferrer
    • Writers
      • Ketti Frings
      • Joseph A. Kramm(play)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Allyson badly wanted to play a dramatic, villainous role and, according to her, "begged them to let me (play Ann Downs)." However, preview audiences said "'June Allyson would never, ever put her husband in an insane asylum and leave him there. She'd at least get him out.' We had to reshoot the end of the film [where] I went back to the insane asylum . . . So I could be good. So the public never accepted me as anything but the wife and the girl next door."
    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits are typewritten on a roll of paper, which a hand cuts at intervals with a pair of scissors.
    • Connections
      Referenced in What's My Line?: José Ferrer (1955)

    User reviews13

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    A male Snake Pit
    The Shrike was quite an eye opener for me seeing it for the very first time. It further confirmed my own opinion of the almost limitless talents of Jose Ferrer.

    The roles associated with Ferrer, what he's best known for are such bravura performances as Cyrano DeBergerac and Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge. His role in The Shrike is subdued and Ferrer conveys a great performance by use of his body language and facial expressions. Ferrer plays a theatrical director who makes a suicide attempt and is now in a psych ward and trying to get out.

    Ferrer directed and starred on Broadway for 161 performances in the 1952 season. He did the same for the screen and wrote the background music for the film.

    A lot of the cast came over from Broadway. One addition was June Allyson who was Hollywood's all American wife and sweetheart. She wanted to play a bad girl and I think she was cast in the part because to the outside world the wife is June Allyson, not the demanding woman Ferrer is married to. The public did not want to see June Allyson as she is here.

    The scenes that are the best are in the sanitarium. Straight out of The Snake Pit, this film borrowed a lot from that classic.

    Definitely a must for Jose Ferrer aficionados.
    helpful•0
    0
    • bkoganbing
    • Sep 27, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 16, 1955 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • In all diesen Nächten
    • Filming locations
      • Bellevue Hospital - 462 First Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal International Pictures (UI)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.00 : 1

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    June Allyson and José Ferrer in The Shrike (1955)
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