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| Jack Palance lights Joan Crawford’s hearth in 1952’s “girl in jeopardy” movie noir, “Sudden Worry.” |
I watched Sudden Worry
starring Joan Crawford for the primary time in years, with renewed curiosity. The
movie has grown in popularity in latest a long time, what with a number of excessive profile
movie critics championing the movie noir flick as a basic.
Sudden Worry was the primary movie Crawford made as
an impartial after leaving her second long run studio contract, this time with
Warner Brothers. Just like the post-MGM Mildred
Pierce, Sudden Worry gave Crawford’s profession a shot in
the arm. Worry was not in the identical league
as her greatest comeback with Mildred,
however was sufficient to maintain her profession getting in its 4th decade, particularly in Fifties
Hollywood, when the studio system was swiftly starting to wane.
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| Joan Crawford will get to be glam and severe within the 1952 suspense noir, “Sudden Worry.” |
What I remembered as a stable star car, is presently
referred to as certainly one of Crawford’s best movies. Properly, I nonetheless assume Sudden Worry is a stable star car, not a basic, but admirable
in its personal proper. The nifty noir isn’t Mildred
Pierce, Humoresque, or Possessed by any means, however nearer to
Crawford’s slick star autos like Flamingo
Street and The Damned Do not Cry.
And Sudden Worry is actually extra
substantial than camp classics that adopted, equivalent to Queen Bee and Feminine on the
Seashore.
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| Although “Sudden Worry” was filmed on a reasonable price range, these necessities had been offered for Miss Crawford’s rich character. |
An professional assortment of artists had been rounded up for Sudden Worry, a “girl in jeopardy”
thriller: director David Miller, expert with star actors; screenwriter Lenore
Espresso, who had labored at Metro with Joan; Sheila O’Brien, Joan’s favored
designer, for the costumes; cinematographer Charles Lang; and composer Elmer
Bernstein for the ominous, booming rating. Newcomer Jack Palance was forged because the
youthful husband, and noir queen Gloria Grahame as the opposite girl. Bruce
Bennett, who had performed Mildred Pierce’s
first husband Bert, was a superb luck appeal, because the household lawyer, and Flamingo Street co-star Virginia Huston
performed Joan’s secretary.
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| Joan Crawford with Bruce Bennett, Virginia Huston, and Jack Palance in 1952’s “Sudden Worry.” Huston jogs my memory of Carole Lombard right here. |
Many veteran movie divas have accomplished a “girl in
jeopardy” film, so it is solely becoming that celebrity Joan starred in
a number of of this style. All through her movie stardom, Crawford’s films typically
forged her as adversarial characters towards her main males, which intensified at
WB. And with Sudden Worry, the
adversarial grew to become antagonistic, with Joan typically combating for her movie life.
Whereas Joan typically performed working women and girls, which
performed off her well-known backstory, Crawford beloved to play “nice
women” on-screen and labored to be considered one off-screen. As Myra
Hudson (no relation to Blanche or Jane!), she’s an heiress who has discovered
additional wealth and status as a playwright. The heiress/playwright is so
loaded that she plans on leaving her inherited wealth to charity.
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| Joan Crawford’s heiress/playwright revises her will in hubby’s favor, along with her recorder. And can quickly hear again a message from him! 1952’s “Sudden Worry.” |
Crawford is nice enjoyable to watch because the playwright
planning her life and dictating missives to her recorder in essentially the most dignified
of tones, as if she’s giving a sermon. But, there is a real heat to her
character because the lonely profession girl who lets love come later into her life.
Only a few years later, Joan herself would discover the identical, after being
single a decade, when she married Pepsi’s Alfred Steele.
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| Joan Crawford as Myra Hudson, heiress and playwright, in 1952’s “Sudden Worry.” |
When Crawford’s Myra has to let the main contender go
from her newest play, the actor leaves in an indignant huff. However a
“probability” assembly on a practice journey from NYC’s Broadway again to
California’s San Fran, they meet once more and fall in love. Myra is in seventh
heaven, however Jack Palance as Lester Blaine is steadily revealed to be the
schemer from hell.
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| Stranger on a practice, certainly! Jack Palance as Lester Blaine, in 1952’s “Sudden Worry.” |
Whereas Crawford will get to emote up a storm as Myra Hudson, David
Miller was an adept studio/star director. He lets Joan give a diva efficiency
with out going completely excessive on this taut thriller. Crawford’s expressions
of loneliness in addition to happiness because the betrayed bride are most plausible.
Joan’s solo scenes in Myra’s research and hiding out in Irene’s house in climatic
scenes are performed huge, however to not the overall level of ridiculousness. Joan makes use of
all her gathered performing expertise and tips to place this character and story
throughout and acquired a well-deserved Oscar nomination. Only some occasions are
there camp moments: Myra’s imagining the other ways hubby Lester might kill
her whereas bug-eyed with concern or Joan hiding in terror at Irene’s earlier than the
finale, sweating like she’s in a sauna, as an alternative of closet.
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| Joan Crawford strikes certainly one of her go-to film poses in 1952’s “Sudden Worry.” |
What I discovered attention-grabbing is that Myra’s profession as a
playwright is a stellar success, however has no romantic life. She is nice at
creating characters, however not an incredible choose of character, and is fooled by this
actor—and a “appeal boy,” at that! Additionally attention-grabbing is that Lester
Blaine’s shady previous isn’t spelled out. What actually did occur at that home on
Hearth Island, as an example? Lester is a scorching head, but amazingly retains
his cool as he jumps via hoops in Myra’s world.
As soon as the facade is dropped and Myra finds her life in
jeopardy, Sudden Worry goes into
overdrive because the newlyweds plot to kill one another. How fascinating that the
genteel playwright’s intestine response is to struggle again along with her personal plan of homicide.
Sure, she drops and shatters the recording of Lester’s murderous intentions.
However I assume the authorities would simply consider outdated cash Myra over no-name
actor Lester. Hey, movie noirs aren’t famend for his or her plausible plotting.
So, recreation on!
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| Who’s zoomin’ who? Myra and Lester let the dying match start in “Sudden Worry.” |
I will not give away the infinite twists besides to say that
on the subject of the finale, Lester and Myra make such a racket of their dying
match that it is superb your entire neighborhood is not woke up by their Tom and Jerry-style chase!
How intriguing that a variety of the plot twists hinge on equipment
of the day that are actually a factor of the previous: monogrammed kerchiefs, stationary,
and head scarves. On this movie noir, everybody smokes like chimneys, have weapons
tucked of their furs and overcoats, and notes hidden in gloves!
There are additionally some nods to residing legend Crawford’s approach of
life: her overly coordinated wardrobe, ankle strap sneakers, and even an extraordinarily organized record of a revenge
timeline towards her hubby and his girlfriend.
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| Like Joan Crawford herself, Myra Hudson could be very organized, proper all the way down to her homicide timeline, in 1952’s “Sudden Worry.” |
Jack Palance acquired his huge break with Sudden Worry. As the start actor who turns into the husband to
older, rich playwright, Palance goes from charming suitor to doting husband
to brutish opportunist skillfully. Palance is intense, made much more so with
his extreme facial options. Jack acquired a Greatest Supporting Actor nomination, although
he was truly the movie’s main man.
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| Jack Palance, along with his depth and extreme seems, was good because the villain husband, in 1952’s “Sudden Worry.” |
As with Myra, Lester Blaine has a dualistic character. The
one he reveals to Joan’s Myra is delicate and cultured because the struggling younger
actor. Quoting Shakespeare, studying to her, and solicitous to her wants,
plus letting her monogram all the pieces he owns! Then when scheming with
Gloria’s Irene, Lester’s animalistic, even when he’s exhibiting affection.
Irene Neves, Lester’s accomplice in crime, is performed by Gloria
Grahame. It simply occurs that Irene has additionally modified coasts, from New York Metropolis
to San Francisco. And with no seen technique of help, Irene has began
courting a buddy of Myra’s household, “Junior,” performed by a younger Mike
Connors, right here billed as “Contact.”
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| Gloria Grahame because the vixen of “Sudden Worry” has a number of the finest strains! Right here she is with a really younger Mike Connors as her suitor. |
Gloria’s efficiency because the attractive, toxic little
Kewpie doll is scrumptious. Gloria’s a little bit of droll comedian reduction from the
glowering depth of Crawford and Palance. Grahame received a supporting Oscar
that 12 months, not for Sudden Worry, however
for The Dangerous and the Stunning.
The ex-couple re-team for a extra drastic plan. Sadly,
certainly one of their debriefings takes place in Myra’s research, which has a state of the
artwork recording system that was left on. The revelation in Myra’s library is
skillfully accomplished, as is the homicide because it’s imagined to occur, versus how
it actually goes down. It is all a bit far-fetched for my style, however remains to be
nice enjoyable to look at. The ultimate scene has Joan strolling off into the wee hours
alone, as was typically the case!
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| A placing second by Joan Crawford in 1952’s “Sudden Worry,” when Myra Hudson sees what she has grow to be. |
A take a look at Joan Crawford sparring with Jeff Chandler, Feminine on the Seashore:
https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2023/01/love-is-beach-for-lana-joan.html
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| One of many many absurdities of FX’s “Feud: Bette and Joan” was 70ish Jessica Lange recreating snippets of Crawford’s biggest hits. For “Sudden Worry,” Jessica seems extra like Kaitlyn Jenner than Joan! |
