Sudden Fear

In my Hollywood alternate universe I envisage Norma Desmond---graduate of the “faces > voices” school of acting---sitting in her padded cell enjoying the heck out of Joan's performance as Myra in Sudden Fear (1952). As mentioned in several reviews, Joan’s face is the star of this movie. I like to think today in SF Joan took the acting skills she worked hard to master in talkies, and embellished them with the expressive facial mannerisms of her silent films. This is best exemplified by two notable scenes: the first in which she discovers the recording that reveals her husband’s duplicity, and the “closet” scene. One scene that does not get enough recognition is the scene that follows the former. Joan locks herself in her bedroom trying to process the turn of events. She eyes the pillow that still bears the imprint of her husband’s head from the night before. Since 1950s Hollywood required husband and wife to sleep in separate beds, the subtle implication is that there had been sexy time the night before. Spying the dented pillow, Joan throws it off the bed, marking a symbolic end to her connubial bliss. The fear and angst that plays across her face while requisite film noir shadows encroach is a masterpiece.

This is also where the movie really takes off for me. With the recording disc broken, Myra can’t go to the police and have her tormentors thrown in jail. Joan puts a quick end to her simpering and concocts a plan to take out hubby Lester and his paramour Irene. This is my Joanie! This is Rene Contrecoeur (Winners of the Wilderness, 1927) who refuses to bow to threats of an armed spy, this is Sadie Thompson in Rain (1932) damning Reverend Thompson to Hell, this is Anna Holm (A Woman's Face, 1931) slapping the heck out of Vera Segert. Joan the fighter brings this movie alive for me.

Adding to the silent film vibe of Sudden Fear is the sound track by Elmer Bernstein. Having seen Sudden Fear a few times now, it's fun to ignore the dialogue a bit and invest a few brain cells into what Maestro Bernstein is doing to add mood to the proceedings.

Joan is well supported by her two costars. Lester is played by Jack Palance in one of his first movies. Gloria Grahame (who played Bedford Falls flirt Violet Bick in It's a Wonderful Life, 1956) is Irene. They're clichéd film noir characters, but both do very well in their roles. Palance would gain an Oscar nomination, as did Joan, for SF.

My only issue with Sudden Fear is that it's 30 minutes too long for my taste. The first half hour focusing on the courtship and marriage of Myra and Lester could have been condensed. However, that's a minor quibble; once the action gets going and Joan dries her eyes, the time just flies.

Sudden Fear is one of the more stylish surprises in Joan Crawford’s catalogue. Relishing the melodramatic formula of her acting style and infusing it with the taut narrative structure of a hard-boiled thriller, it also afforded Crawford her final Oscar nomination. Here, though, she also took a credit as producer. Boasting some expertly executed scenes, creative lighting effects, suspense and charismatic performances, Sudden Fear was an unexpected return to form for the dejected Warners star.

When wealthy playwright Myra Hudson (Crawford) turns down Lester Blane (Jack Palance) as a prospective leading man for her new script, he later manages to seduce his way into her heart and, after a whirlwind romance, marries her. Unfortunately, sinister intentions belie Lester’s affection as he and his scheming mistress Irene (Gloria Grahame) hatch a terrible plot to murder Myra and inherit her money -- but in a crucial moment of error, they are unwittingly found out. Sudden Fear ultimately focusses on a spurned Myra’s campaign for revenge.

Unsurprisingly, the film belongs to La Crawford and her one skillful scene of histrionics. When her happiness is utterly shattered by the discovery of her husband’s deception, Crawford serves a set text of how to emote using only the face; her eyes glide over heartbreak, revulsion and panic with quivering ease. Later, in a forced embrace with Lester, she ambiguously mumbles to her husband, “I was wondering what I’d done to deserve you” before dissolving into sheer disgust as she walks away. But there’s also a strong moral core to Myra’s own devious rebuttal and therein also lies the complexity of Crawford’s performance.

Sudden Fear bolsters its leading grand dame with two key supporting players in Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame. Truthfully, Palance generates more natural chemistry with Grahame and together their scenes crackle with delicious villainy. Grahame in particular adorns an unwavering sense of smugness as the conniving femme fatale; it’s a pity that she and Crawford share so little scenes together.

Suspense is woven masterfully with superlative shadow and light effects as the vice closes in during the cat-and-mouse games between Myra and Lester: the tense mood bubbles nicely, especially when a windup toy threatens to expose Myra’s presence in an apartment she has snuck into. The film also redeems itself from a seemingly predictable narrative twist with a highly dramatic conclusion.

Sudden Fear was the birth of another experimentation period in Joan Crawford’s choice of material. It would be over another decade, however, that she would follow the success of this definitive woman-in-distress phase when she united with archenemy Bette Davis to star in the popular What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

I am a great fan of fast action, quick resolution. Car chases are one of my favorites. But, in achieving all of these, one very important characteristic is lost: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. The camera work in Sudden Fear does much to bring about the sudden fear in Joan Crawford's character Myra Hudson. The wide, relaxed shots of rehearsals in the New York theatre, the comfortable rocking sensation on the train ride to California, the party scenes all are instrumental in relaxing the viewer and enabling him or her to really feel the impact of fear as Myra Hudson finds a recording made of a plot hatching between Lester Blaine (admirably portrayed by Jack Palance) and Irene (played by Gloria Grahame).

And, while the tempo is slower than we expect today, the result is a terrifying catapult into the denouement -- every bit as terrifying as any Hitchcock film. It is aptly named, beautifully executed, and scary as all get-out!

It did not mean much to be queen of the Warners lot the last few years. If she had to struggle, why not struggle on her own! With time, place, and circumstance all perfectly aligned, Miss Crawford, with trepidation and a bit of magic, forges ahead and begins her 20-year freelance career. She embraced television along the way and gave herself more challenges. (I think of those lucky people sitting at home in the 50s, and Miss Joan Crawford appears in their living rooms -- just as good as seeing Bette Davis or the Duke. Wow!)

Miss Crawford was defiantly not going to disappear, and with Pepsi-Cola on the horizon, she would soon be everywhere!

This film challenged and elevated Miss Crawford and she elevated the audience! Sudden Fear is a good, crisp, clean thriller and is expertly cast and directed. The opening credits are good, with the musical score from the great Elmer Bernstein -- he takes you right in and gets the heart beating and keeps it beating!

Miss Crawford is generally excellent throughout. She gives us an intense night in the theatre. Her emotions fit the story and script perfectly, and her performance at this point in her career isn’t just showing off but damn good acting. I do not find much fault with this film because I can always count on it, and Miss Crawford provides me with a thrilling evening.

Mr. Kaufman produces with the star in mind and the new way of doing business in Hollywood for a studio gal like Miss Crawford. This was big stuff, and Mr. Kaufman does everyone involved a favor by being a complete professional. Just wish he had more stories for Miss Crawford.

Miss Crawford herself was already behaving like a producer, as she was very concerned about the budget and hired director David Miller, a former film cutter from her MGM days. I think he and the cameraman and the editor captured some fine moments and held some scenes for quite some time and in other parts wasted no time; all which is hard to do -- the cuts are top notch.

A closet, a gun, a car chase, a child's toy, a ticking clock, a key, a bottle of poison, a birthday party , a scarf -- all of these things are characters in the story. Hitchcock would have had fun with this one! Mr. Miller gives the audience some panic-stricken moments of pure terror and suspense, and it all blends well.

Miss Crawford's acting ran a gamut, that is for sure. She is loving, waiting, sweating, running, hiding, thinking, and then there is a beautiful fade-out of Miss Crawford walking up a hill and going home and walking right into the camera. It is actually touching, and something of her spirit comes through with that fade-out. I love it!

Her face is magnificent. Her face upstages herself! It should get co-billing. Miss Crawford holds your interest and the freelance world takes notice. Sudden Fear receives four Oscar nominations. (Miss Crawford receives her third nomination for Best Actress for this film.)

When all the elements are there, or most of them anyway, it is hard to miss. (I think Miss Crawford said that at one point and it is true.)

Supporting Miss Crawford is the fresh Method actor Jack Palance. He is one rough dude, and despite all the rumors over his being cast, I think he made the role his own. He gives it the charm and sleaze that is standard in most bad men, and you believe he could be a killer and a thief and a two-timing no-good louse. The cameraman (an expert) had a hard time photographing Mr. Palance, and in the early scenes he looks a bit different. I saw this film at the Castro theatre in San Francisco and people laughed a little (which they will do at older films), and on the way out I heard a few people talking about how bad Mr. Palance and Miss Crawford looked. I was a bit mortified and I can see it now, but I think the camera work is a bit magical and adds some depth to the film process and the menacing script. Palance earned his Supporting Actor nomination and I was happy to see Miss Crawford’s film get the big Hollywood recognition.

Ladies like Miss Crawford are horrified; ladies like Gloria Graham are intrigued and in love with the rat men. Gloria Graham is some of the best support Miss Crawford was going to get in the remaining decades. She makes her role the essence and epitome of lazy, evil trash-girl on the make, and wanting some cash to retire and live happily ever after! She makes the film wide awake when she walks in the room, and somehow things will not be the same! Miss Graham is wonderful and she won an Oscar for The Bold and the Beautiful, filmed and released the same year, and also starred in The Greatest Show on Earth. However, for me, Sudden Fear remains her best performance and defiantly Oscar-worthy.

The other supporting cast members are strong and consistent: Bruce Bennett from, yes, Mildred Pierce has a few good moments of acting with his eyes. Virginia Huston of Flamingo Road is the perfect secretary; I bet she had more scenes and they were cut, because she just disappears. I like her persona. Mike Connors (of TV’s Mannix) handles his role with some ease and plays well. It could have been anybody in his part, but it was him and I think his acting is very confident.

Sudden Fear is something Miss Crawford should be proud of. My only sadness is that, besides Baby Jane, she was never going to recapture or surprise us with one more good worthy role and mark her 50th year in show business in 1975 with an Emmy-worthy role or a very rare motion picture role deserving of her talents.

My other reason for loving this film: As a San Franciscan, I love seeing the city in its 50s glory. I know every spot where the actors appear, and every building. It is very nostalgic for me; I even worked in the house on Scott Street (catering), and I just crack up that Jack Palance lives at the bottom of the “crookedest street," which is now a complete tourist venue.

Other than a horrible nightgown that one reviewer wrote about (I totally agree, it is awful), costumer Miss O’Brien remains a question mark for me because of that thing. However, Miss Crawford looked very appealing and glamorous and classy, with the right amount of sex appeal that worked with the script.

Sudden Fear was a great moment in Miss Crawford’s career and our cinema. It is a wonderful film. Go see (rent) it tonight!

Joan’s acting was superb throughout Sudden Fear, with the exception of two scenes (that I noticed). These two scenes were a little over the top, even for Joan. The first scene was when Myra found out Lester was plotting against her. All of her eye movement and shaking hands were a little bit unreal in a sense that it was a style probably used in the Silent Era, when there was no sound to dictate what the character was feeling. The final over the top scene was the last one, in which Lester mistakes his accomplice for Myra and runs her over. I can understand Myra’s silence, but not for as long as she held it, eventually leading to her long walk back up the hill. My favorite scene was the ubiquitous scene Joan liked. This was the scene in which Myra had to hide in the closet when Lester came into the apartment unexpectedly.

Sudden Fear was put together very well, and of course Joan was well dressed throughout the entire picture, with the exception of that ugly Johnny Guitar-esque nightgown she had on in a couple of scenes. The set designers did a great job putting together everything, including the 1952 Packard Patrician 400 Myra drove around, and the 1952 Packard convertible Lester drove. Back then, those were haughtier to own than a new Cadillac. The cast was also well put together with the exception of Jack Palance. His character in the movie paralleled him in real life. Both actors were great performers, but weren’t just right for the part of Lester Blaine. Palance’s features were just a little too harsh, even for the part of Lester. However, most later Joan Crawford vehicles had B-Movie men, instead of the Gables and Hudsons of that time period. However, it was a great surprise to see Bert Pierce (from Mildred fame) in Sudden Fear.

Sudden Fear was a great movie to watch, and I’d recommend it to any "Noir” aficionado or Joan Crawford fan.

Sudden Fear, for all of its "classic noir" reputation, can for me best be described as an homage to Joan Crawford's face. Aside from 1932's Rain and 1946's Humoresque, I can't think of another Crawford film that relies more heavily on Joan's facial expressiveness to propel the picture. Some harsh lighting here often reveals every one of her nearly-50 years, but what her face has lost in dewy youthfulness it has gained in character and its sheer ability to compel.

In Fear, Joan plays Myra Hudson, a San Francisco heiress and playwright who rejects odd-looking actor Lester Blaine (Jack Palance) as the romantic lead in her latest play, then later, by chance, encounters him on a train and falls in love with him.

The first half-hour of the film is rather pedestrian: Myra and Lester court, then get married, then enjoy a few screen minutes of nuptial bliss. All seems cosy...until smirking sexpot Irene (Gloria Grahame) shows up. Irene and Lester were once hot-n-heavy lovers as well as partners in petty crime back East; they quickly resume their affair and then begin to plot to get their greedy hands on Myra's money. Myra remains blissfully unaware of their trysts and eeevil plans...until she's in her study and discovers that her dictation machine was accidentally left on overnight. Myra hears a recording of Lester and Irene expressing their eagerness both for each other and for the idea of offing Myra in the next 3 days---before her proposed will changes go into effect.

At this point the film really kicks in, both plot- and acting-wise, and from here on, the camera begins intensely lavishing its attention on every nuance of Myra's reactions to the betrayal she's discovered.

The scene where Myra first listens to the recording and discovers Lester's perfidy is both fascinating and painful to watch because we're given no respite from the emotions that Myra's experiencing. Whole minutes go by in silence as we see Myra, often in close-up, reacting first in disbelief, then confusion, then sadness, then literal nausea, as she finally runs to the bathroom to throw up. The pure acting ability, and acting bravery, required to pull off such an uncomfortable scene is enormous, and I've never seen anything quite like it. Ever. Even in silent films, where similarly claustrophobic camera attention was necessarily paid to the actors' every expression.

Joan's acting skills are also evident in an earlier scene, when Lester hasn't shown up for a party in his honor and Myra goes to his apartment to find him---her awkwardly smiling look of utter love and submission and fear of rejection as she climbs the stairs and says to him "Without you I have nothing" is intimately and painfully nuanced.

Similarly interesting acting-wise is a scene between Myra and Lester after she has discovered his plot and has lain awake all night planning her inventive revenge. (She is, after all, a playwright, and wouldn't be content to merely call the police and have Lester escorted from her home!) In this scene, Myra accidentally awakens Lester; in their mutual surprise, neither intially has time to put on a "game face." Watching the two skilled actors maneuver through the duplicitous, lovingly inane "good morning" conversation is fascinating, culminating with Lester's "Aren't you going to kiss me?" Myra complies, her still-existing feelings for her husband battling with her repulsion for what she now knows about him. "I was just wondering what I'd done to deserve you, " she smiles and purrs. Then, as she turns and walks toward the camera, away from Lester's view, her smile fades oh-so-briefly into regret for what she's lost, then slowly transforms into grim disgust and equally grim determination to exact her revenge. It's a classic moment in the Crawford Canon, as well as a classic moment in film.

Joan was nominated for her third, and final, Oscar for Sudden Fear, and it's a well-deserved acknowledgment of her acting talents. Fear has often been cited for its stylish noir qualities, and indeed there are plenty of shadows as well as much angst-ridden psychological plot tension. What makes the film ultimately so memorable, though, is not necessarily the plot (which can occasionally seem implausible) nor the camera tricks (which, especially in the fantasy sequence, can seem dated today), but rather director David Miller's utter trust in the ability of Joan Crawford's face and acting to carry the show.

Sudden Fear, Cleverly Turned Melodrama, Is New Bill at Loew's State