Fear in the Night (1947)

I've seen a number of interesting films in the days following the so-called mixed bag below, all of which deserve an airing here.  However preference must be given to the above B-movie since it has been on my famous lists for about as long as I've been keeping them.  It turns out that friend Richard actually has a pristine 16 mm. copy and I finally viewed it at a private showing yesterday.

While I have seen it described as a noir (probably because it is in black and white!), that is something of a misnomer since there is no femme fatale (or actually a very very minor one) which to our mind is an essential ingredient.  Written and directed by Maxwell Shane from a Cornell Woolrich story, it lifts itself from its low budget and amateurish acting by the vision with which it is produced, using all the camera tricks available to convey the terror of a man waking from a nightmare where he has dreamt that he has killed a man, only to discover that he actually has -- shaky camera, fade-in, fade-out, and a brilliant use of a mirrored room very reminiscent of Orson Welles' "Lady from Shanghai" which was made the same year.  I wouldn't like to say which of the two inspired the other or whether it was just a happy coincidence.

The lead is taken by a young DeForest Kelley, better known to the world in later years for his "Startrek" role, and his brother-in-law, a police detective whom he turns to for help is played by Paul Kelly, a familiar face from other B movies.  The rest of the cast is of little interest.

Shane seems to have had more of a career as a writer rather than as a director, but he was responsible for 1956's "Nightmare" with Edward G. Robinson which is effectively a speedy remake of this movie.  I'm delighted to have finally seen the original (so thanks again, Richard), and while it may deserve some cult status, it is when all is said and done something of the proverbial parson's egg.

Tags: Fear in the Night, Maxwell Shane, DeForest Kelley