Cheap Sudden Fear (DVD) (Joan Crawford, Jack Palance, Gloria Grahame) (David Miller) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of Sudden Fear

Fear with a Twist and then Some
This is a first-class thriller based on the novel by Edna Sherry of an affluent playwright who discovers her new husband is planning to kill her. You see, she done him wrong at an earlier date. Now it's retribution time. But who is outdoing whom? Twists abound. Joan Crawford (Oscar nominated) and Jack Palance (his first Oscar nomination) are excellent. The cast also includes Gloria Grahame, Bruce Bennett, Virginia Huston and Touch (Mike) Connors. The effective Black and White cinematography is by Charles Lang (also Oscar nominated). This film also boasts one of Elmer Bernstein's earliest scores. Bernstein has been a leading writer of film scores since the mid-1950s, when his work on THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (1955) and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) elevated him into the front rank of Hollywood composers. His score for THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) made him immortal and launched him into a string of successful Western scores through that decade. However, he highly has been noted for his strong use of solo instruments and his facility with the jazz idiom. 1999's WILD, WILD WEST returned him to his beloved Western.

---

"I was just wondering what I'd done to deserve you."
Successful, wealthy playwright Myra Hudson (Joan Crawford) sacks actor Lester Blaine (Jack Palance) from rehearsals for her latest Broadway play. Myra just doesn't see Lester as the great romantic lead she's looking for, but on a train bound for San Francisco, Lester 'coincidentally' meets Myra and shows her just how romantic he can be ...

Myra is a great character. She's so used to writing scripts that she mentally writes one for her life as a newlywed. Even though Myra's close associates regard free-loading Lance with suspicion, Myra only sees what she wants to see. She scripts herself as blissfully married to the most wonderful man on the planet, and that's how it plays out. But then Lester's girlfriend, the slightly sleazy, Irene Neves (Gloria Grahame) pops up in San Francisco, and Myra finds out the hard way that Lester is more interested in money than anything else. Myra handles the truth by writing another script in her mind, but carrying her plans out to their inevitable conclusion is a lot tougher in real life.

Joan Crawford is spectacular in the role of Myra. She seems to visibly age as events take their toll. Several scenes focus on her wild-eyed neurotic stares, and she manages to have a few hysterical scenes into the bargain. Gloria Grahame is my favourite B film noir actress, so it was a treat for me to see her teamed with Crawford. And Jack Palance as Lester is impressive--there are scenes in which he's so good, it's possible to read his mind and gauge how he wants to murder Myra. Director, David Miller's style is evident, and quite reminiscent of "Midnight Lace" (another husband and wife drama). The 50s San Francisco scenes are phenomenal and accentuate the plot (you'll see why). The DVD transfer leaves a lot to be desired--the picture is grainy and dark, but at least it's on DVD and in print. Joan Crawford fans, seek out this film, and prepare for an evening of suspenseful entertainment--displacedhuman.

---

Great 50's film noir
This flawless piece of 1950's film noir is only undone by how badly it has been transposed onto DVD. Such a treasure should have been fully restored and digitally transferred yet it seems to have been hurriedly recorded directly from the grainy VHS original and the result is a fine film that just doesn't look right.
That said if you're a lover of great film noir, a fan of Joan Crawford or simply nostalgia itself don't miss the chance to see and own this gem of a movie. You'd never have thought Joan could perform this well being more of 'star' than an 'actress'. Joan was one hard-working and dedicated performer who never 'slummed it' as she used to put it. Forget about all that Mommie Dearest drivel and enjoy the greatest female star of all time's finest hour!