One of several low-budget mellers directed by scriptwriter Maxwell Shane, Fear in the Night was based on the short story Nightmare by William Irish (pseudonym for Cornell Woolrich). In his first starring role, DeForest Kelley plays Vince Grayson, a young man who has a terrible nightmare wherein he sees himself killing someone. When he awakens, Vince finds a couple of pieces of evidence indicating that his dream was no dream. Detective Cliff Herlihy (Paul Kelly) doesn't believe that Vince has killed anyone, but agrees to ...
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One of several low-budget mellers directed by scriptwriter Maxwell Shane, Fear in the Night was based on the short story Nightmare by William Irish (pseudonym for Cornell Woolrich). In his first starring role, DeForest Kelley plays Vince Grayson, a young man who has a terrible nightmare wherein he sees himself killing someone. When he awakens, Vince finds a couple of pieces of evidence indicating that his dream was no dream. Detective Cliff Herlihy (Paul Kelly) doesn't believe that Vince has killed anyone, but agrees to investigate. While taking shelter from a storm in a remote mansion, the detective and the young man stumble upon a mirrored room -- just like the one in Vince's dream. The frenzied Vince is nearly driven to suicide, but Detective Herlihy deduces that his friend's nightmare was the handiwork of Lewis Belnap (Robert Emmett Keane), the mansion's owner, who is a dabbler in hypnosis. Fear in the Night was remade in 1956 as Nightmare, with Kevin McCarthy and Edward G. Robinson. Hal Erickson, Rovi
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Very good. Includes disc(s), case, and artwork. May show slight wear. Disc(s) are professionally cleaned and free of scratches. If applicable, digital copies may not be redeemable.
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Gladys Blake, Loyette Thomson, Joey Ray, Jeff York, Robert Emmett Keane, Charles Victor, Kay Scott, Ann Doran, DeForest... Very good. 1947 Run time: 72. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Paul Kelly, DeForest Kelley, Ann Doran. New. 1947 Run time: 72. Buy with confidence-Satisfaction Guaranteed! Delivery Confirmation included for all orders in the US.
My interest in noir literature and film noir led over the years to an interest in Cornell Woolrich (1903 -- 1968). Woolrich was a prolific writer, and many of his novels and stories became adopted in noir films. I have seen adaptations of Woolrich's works in the annual D.C. Noir Film Festival. I have also seen other adaptations on my own. Looking for a film to pass a dreary evening, I found this 1947 film "Fear in the Night" which is now in the public domain. The film is an adaptation of a story "And so to Death" Woolrich wrote in 1939 under the pseudonym of William Irish. He retitled the story "Nightmare" in 1943. With two titles and two named authors, it is fitting that there are two versions of the film. The second, titled "Nightmare" was released in 1956 by Maxwell Shane, who also directed this 1947 film.
As with other film adaptations of Woolrich,, "Fear in the Night" relies heavily on surreal scenes of hallucination. The film opens with a young man, a rather bland, boring bank teller, Vince Grayson, having a nightmare in which he kills a man in a large, isolated house in a room filled with mirrors. The film gets inside Grayson's mind through the use of voiceovers. Grayson becomes increasingly troubled and goes to his brother-in-law, Cliff Herlihy an older man who is a police detective. At first, Cliff tries to persuade Grayson not to worry about the nightmare, but through a series of events Cliff realizes his guilt. When the tormented Grayson attempts suicide, Cliff gets to the bottom of the crime and realizes that Grayson has been the victim of a criminal hypnotist.
The film is a character study of a likeable if shallow man who does not know the depths of evil. The movie has many of the classic features of noir including black and white angular cinematography, rainy nights, deserted old homes and back roads, and ever-present fedoras and cigarettes. DeForest Kelly portrays Vince Grayson in his first film role while Paul Kelly portrays Cliff. The acting is adequate but wooden. The film develops character, a sense of lurking fear and depravity, and suspense.
"Fear in the Night" is a B grade low budget film. I enjoyed it and found it worth seeing. The major attraction of the film was seeing another film adaptation of Cornell Woolrich. He is a noir writer I have come to admire.
