A Gripping Film Noir of Murder and Deceit: Fear in the Night (1947)

The 1947 film "Fear in the Night" is a film noir directed by Maxwell Shane. The film stars Paul Kelly as Vince Grayson, a man who wakes up from a nightmare convinced that he has murdered someone. Vince is unsure whether his nightmare was just a dream or a repressed memory of a real murder.Show more

Vince seeks the help of a psychiatrist, Dr. Edith Horton (played by Ann Doran), to try to make sense of his vivid and terrifying nightmare. As Vince begins to piece together his memories and experiences, he begins to suspect that his brother-in-law, Cliff Herlihy (played by DeForest Kelley), may be involved in the murder he believes he has committed.

As Vince tries to uncover the truth about his nightmare and the murder, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. With the help of Dr. Horton and his wife Betty (played by Kay Scott), Vince races against time to uncover the truth before it's too late.

"Fear in the Night" is a classic film noir that is known for its moody atmosphere and tense, psychological storytelling. With strong performances from the cast, including a standout performance from Kelly as the troubled Vince, and atmospheric cinematography by Jack Greenhalgh, "Fear in the Night" is a gripping and unforgettable film that is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

Cast:

Paul Kelly as Vince Grayson
DeForest Kelley as Cliff Herlihy
Ann Doran as Dr. Edith Horton
Kay Scott as Betty Winters
Robert Emmett Keane as Detective Sgt. David Cullen

Fear in the Night is an American 1947 film noir crime film directed by Maxwell Shane, starring Paul Kelly and DeForest Kelley (in his film debut). It is based on the Cornell Woolrich story "And So to Death" (retitled '"Nightmare" in 1943). Woolrich is credited under pen name William Irish.[3] The film was remade by the same director in 1956 with the title Nightmare this time starring Edward G. Robinson playing the cop and Kevin McCarthy.[4]
Plot

Bank teller Vince Grayson (DeForest Kelley) dreams that he stabs a man in an octagonal room of mirrors and locks the body in a closet. When he wakes up, he discovers marks on his throat, a strange key and a button in his pocket, and blood on his cuff. Cliff Herlihy (Paul Kelly), his police officer brother-in-law, tries to convince him it was just a dream.

A few days later, while trying to find cover from the rain, the pair finds themselves taking shelter in the strange house from Vince's dream, which is owned by a Mr. and Mrs. Belknap. They discover that the police found two bodies at the house, one in the mirrored room and one run over in the driveway. Mrs. Belknap, who was run over by a car, gave the police a description matching Vince before she died.

At first Vince is hopeful that he is innocent because he does not know how to drive, but he recognizes the victims from his dream. Overcome with remorse, he attempts suicide, but is rescued by Cliff. The detective uncovers clues that point to an evil hypnotist (Robert Emmett Keane) manipulating Vince. They realize that the hypnotist is actually Mr. Belknap in disguise, and they try to trap him by pretending that Vince wants hush money.

Belknap puts Vince under hypnosis and tries to get him to drown himself. Cliff rescues him from the lake and Mr. Belknap is killed in a car accident as he is trying to evade the police. It is implied that Vince will be acquitted of all charges since he killed the man in the mirrored room in self-defense.
Cast

Paul Kelly as Cliff Herlihy
DeForest Kelley as Vince Grayson
Ann Doran as Lil Herlihy
Kay Scott as Betty Winters
Charles C. Victor as Captain Warner
Robert Emmett Keane as Lewis Belknap, aka Harry Byrd
Jeff York as Deputy Torrence

Production

The film's original title was Nightmare. It was shot in ten days.[5]

It was also known as Dead of Night.[6]
Reception

When the film was released the film critic for The New York Times panned the film, writing, "Fear in the Night, a minor shocker which opened at the Rialto yesterday, is just about as ridiculous as any that comes in this line ... It is not only silly but rather dull. DeForest Kelley is dopey as the fall guy and Paul Kelly is brisk as his detective friend."[7]

More recently, film critic Dennis Schwartz was more positive and liked the film, writing, "An excellent low-budget psychological thriller directed and written by Maxwell Shane that is based on the story "Nightmare" by Cornell Woolrich. Cinematographer Greenhalgh's shadowy black and white photography gives it a film noir look ... The taut pulp story, dreamy atmospheric settings and brooding mood throughout, all serve the film well. The crisp acting was just right. DeForest Kelley, in his debut performance, does a fine job as the innocent victim."[8]
See also

List of films in the public domain in the United States

References

Hedda Hopper (13 Dec 1946). "LOOKING AT HOLLYWOOD". Los Angeles Times. p. A3.
TWO DOLLAR BILLS: LOOKING AT HOLLYWOOD WITH HEDDA HOPPER Chicago Daily Tribune 13 Apr 1947: h7.
Fear in the Night at IMDb.
Nightmare at IMDb.
DRAMA AND FILM: Kim Hunter, Buchanan Will Costar in England Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 17 Jan 1947: 9.
Metro's Latest Prize Story to Star Hepburn Scheuer, Philip. Los Angeles Times 25 Dec 1946: 9.
The New York Times. Film review, April 19, 1947. Accessed: July 8, 2013.

Schwartz, Dennis Archived 2014-09-03 at the Wayback Machine. Ozus' World Movie Reviews, film review, September 24, 2004. Accessed: July 8, 2013.

External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fear in the Night (1947 film).

Fear in the Night at IMDb
Fear in the Night at Rotten Tomatoes
Fear in the Night at AllMovie
Fear in the Night at the TCM Movie Database
Fear in the Night is available for free download at the Internet Archive
Fear in the Night informational site and DVD review at DVD Beaver (includes images)
Fear in the Night analysis by author Thomas C. Renzi at Film Noir of the Week
Review at Variety

Streaming audio

Nightmare on Suspense: March 13, 1948. Radio drama of story on which the movie was based.

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Films of Pine-Thomas Productions
Feature Films

Power Dive (1941) Forced Landing (1941) Flying Blind (1941) No Hands on the Clock (1941) Torpedo Boat (1942) I Live on Danger (1942) Wildcat (1942) Wrecking Crew (1942) Tornado (1943) Aerial Gunner (1943) High Explosive (1943) Alaska Highway (1943) Submarine Alert (1943) Minesweeper (1943) Timber Queen (1944) The Navy Way (1944) Gambler's Choice (1944) Take It Big (1944) Dark Mountain (1944) One Body Too Many (1944) Double Exposure (1944) Dangerous Passage (1944) High Powered (1945) Midnight Manhunt (1945) Follow That Woman (1945) Scared Stiff (1945) People Are Funny (1946) Tokyo Rose (1946) They Made Me a Killer (1946) Hot Cargo (1946) Swamp Fire (1946) Seven Were Saved (1947) Big Town (1947) I Cover Big Town (1947) Fear in the Night (1947) Danger Street (1947) Adventure Island (1947) Jungle Flight (1947) Big Town After Dark (1947) Albuquerque (1948) Caged Fury (1948) Mr. Reckless (1948) Speed to Spare (1948) Big Town Scandal (1948) Shaggy (1948) Waterfront at Midnight (1948) Disaster (1948) Dynamite (1948) Manhandled (1949) Special Agent (1949) El Paso (1949) Captain China (1950) The Eagle and the Hawk (1950) The Lawless (1950) Tripoli (1950) The Last Outpost (1951) Passage West (1951) Hong Kong (1951) Caribbean (1952) The Blazing Forest (1952) Tropic Zone (1953) Jamaica Run (1953) Sangaree (1953) The Vanquished (1953) Those Redheads from Seattle (1953) Jivaro (1954) Run for Cover (1955) The Far Horizons (1955) Hell's Island (1955) Lucy Gallant (1955) Nightmare (1956) The Big Caper (1957) Bailout at 43,000 (1957)

Short Films

A Letter from Bataan (1942) We Refuse to Die (1942) The Price of Victory (1942)

Categories:

1947 films1940s crime thriller filmsAmerican black-and-white filmsFilm noirFilms about hypnosisFilms based on short fictionFilms directed by Maxwell ShaneParamount Pictures filmsFilms based on works by Cornell WoolrichAmerican crime thriller films1940s English-language films1940s American films

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_in_the_Night_(1947_film)