daniomalley

Closing out NOIRVEMBER with a double feature! Both movies are not only based on the same story, but are from the same studio. I thought it'd be fun to do a comparison. :P


I Wake Up Screaming

A 1941 movie produced by 20th Century Fox and directed by H. Bruce Humberstone. It's based on the 1941 novel (of the same name) by Steve Fisher.

Frankie Christopher (played by Victor Mature) is a promoter/PR guy. One night, he's at a cafe with two male friends: a washed-up actor and a gossip columnist. All three are 😍😈🥴🤤 with Vicki (played by Carole Landis), their waitress.

While talking abt how beautiful Vicki is, Frankie starts to brag that he has the power to turn Vicki from a simple waitress and into a celebrity. The other guys are like PFFT, YOU WISH.

In any case, Frankie DOES manage to make Vicki v. popular, having her picture taken in society pages, etc. Along the way, he also meets Jill (played by THE Betty Grable), Vicki's sister. Jill and Frankie have a one-sided enmity (from Jill to Frankie.) She doesn't like how suave Frankie is, she doesn't trust them.

And then a murder occurs. . .

This is one of those movies that tends to pop up in Must-See Noirs lists. Funnily enough, I'd always thought I'd already watched it and had forgotten abt it. The ONLY reason why I watched it this time (which led me to realize that it was an actually brand new watching experience) is cuz I wanted to "refresh my (nonexistent) memory" before I watched Vicky.

IN ANY CASE, I was NOT READY for this movie. Oftentimes, when I'm watching a new-to-me noir, I'm having a good time. THIS MOVIE HAD ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT! Between the twists, turns, and general WTF-ery from some of the characters . . . OOOF!

I also loved the cinematography by Edward Crongjager was CHEF'S KISS.

Victor Mature was SOLID. He does know how to play a "cool" type of guy. As the movie progresses, he finds himself getting cornered and it's really neat to see Mature's Frankie react and figure out what to do when the rules of the game go against him.

And then, there's Laird Cregar as Ed Cornell, a detective whose single-minded pursuit of Frankie is quite O__o.

The film's pacing is great too. Everyone brings their A game. Plus you know it's gonna be a good time when Elisha Cook Jr. is part of the cast as Harry, the front desk guy at the apartment building Jill and Vicky live at.


Do I have any criticisms?

There are two.

Carol Landis as Vicki was mehhhhh. I didn't find her presence (which is supposed to be alluring AF) convincing at all.

The other thing is that this movie uses two songs so many times that it might drive you bonkers: "Street Scene" and "Over the Rainbow." To date, I don't think anyone knows why the producing team thought the latter song was a great fit for this movie cuz it wasn't!

At some point, I began to tune it out/ignore it cuz they legit play it a lot!


Do I recommend it?

Yeah, this movie has plot, acting, cinematography, pacing, etc. Although it does goes a bit off the rails during the last third AND I was kinda meh abt Landis PLUS the overusage of those two song, it's deffo worth watching. It tends to pop up on Mubi, TCM, plus the usual places.

I'm giving it a 3.7 out of 5


Queerness level:

Low.

Laird Cregar's version of Ed Cornell is not-quite-straight. There's nothing abt him that reads as straight. In addition, he's v. obsessed with Frankie. And whenever they interact, Cornell is sorta flirting with him. FWIW, Frankie always rebuffs him to which Cornell tends to reply with a "ah, you'll come around". Just lots of double entendre type of things.

Adding to that there's Larid Cregar himself. Now, I didn't know this until AFTER I watched the movie, but I did find out that he had a "complicated" sexuality (per his biographers.) He did have relationships with women, but he also had boyfriends.

When I watched this movie, I was kinda sure I was imagining things cuz Cornell gave me queer vibes. Go figure.


Le Trailer

Watch on YouTube

Vicky

A 1953 film from 20th Century Fox that was directed by Harry Horner. The script is based on the novel I Wake Up Screaming by Steve Fisher.

Since this movie pretty much follows the same plot as the 1941 film, I'm skipping over the summary.

This time around, we've got Jean Peters as Vicky, Jeanne Crain as her sister Jill, and Elliott Reed as Steve (instead of "Frankie") Christopher as the PR guy.

IMO, this movie has some good points when compared to the other film. The majority of the acting is good (there's one actor I was meh abt). Unlike I Wake Up Screaming, the soundtrack has variety.

Also, this version has a much more organic rhythm when it came to its plot. Frex, the way that Vicky and Steve meet felt a lot more natural. I wonder how much casting influenced their simpatico in this movie vs. the 1941 one. There are also a lot more scenes of Vicky and Jill where their sisterly dynamic is explored a ton this time around. It was v. clear how much they cared abt each other.

Jeanne Crain- - who I only know from A Letter to Three Wives and Leave Her to Heaven- - does really well in her role as Jill. She is, in some ways, the heart of the film.

One quirky note is that this movie has a mini reunion of male actors who have been in Marily Monroe movies. Elliot Reid (who played Steve Christopher here) was Jane Russell's love interest in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Meanwhile, Alexander D'arcy (who was Robin Ray in this movie) played one of Marilyn Monroe's suitors in How to Marry a Millionaire. He's the guy with the eyepatch (you'll know who I'm talking abt if you've watched the movie.)


Do I have any criticisms?

The tension (as far as finding out the murderer's identity) is way lower in this one. IMO, it has to do with two specific characters. Primarily Richard Boone as Det. Ed Cornell.

Whereas the Ed in the 1941 movie has a PRESENCE, someone who is tremendously good as a detective but also a Grade A WEIRDO, Boone's Ed never achieves the kind of brilliance and creepiness that's needed for that role. All that's shown is Boone's flat demeanor with random moments where he yells at ppl. He simply does not give out the same menacing vibes. *Hands* Because this is the first time I've ever seen that actor in anything, I can't tell if the fault lies on him OR on the direction he was given.

The other thing that made the movie lose momentum was when, right around the halfway point, the pacing just glides on. It's almost as if the plot didn't care abt building up any suspense.

Finally, in total opposition to how I felt during the last 20 mins of the 1941 film, the last 20 mins of Vicky went into full cheese, IDK.


Do I recommend it?

Not really? If you happen to catch a screening of it or find it somewhere, sure, maybe watch it. But it's not worth making any huge effort to experience it. OTOH, I don't regret watching it, BUT I liked having the chance to compare both films. I'm giving it a 2 out of 5.


Queerness level:

Nada.


Le Trailer

Watch on YouTube