Midnight Lace (1960)

Touches You

People are voting emotionally.

How sad is this?

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

In general, I don't like Hitchcock-like thrillers, and this is no exception. I found the screenplay rather boring ,on the whole, with some major questionable aspects, as follows: 1) The mysterious voice that keeps popping up certainly did not sound like Rex(Harrison) nor like Natasha Parry(Peggy). In fact, it didn't sound clearly like a man or women, but something in between. 2) Peggy's supposed involvement in pushing Kit(Doris) in front of the bus doesn't look possible. I didn't see her standing in back of Doris, among the crowd looking to board the bus. Rather, a short time later, she comes barging through the thick crowd behind where Doris was. How did she get back there so quick if she did the pushing? 3)I thought Peggy's husband was in Singapore in the navy, or do I have the wrong neighbor in mind? 4)Why did Kit keeping listening to the phone messages by the stalker, instead of slamming the phone down as soon as she recognized the voice? 5)Why did Rex bother with the stalker voice if he wanted to kill Kit because he needed her inheritance and because he was having an affair with Peggy, and wanted Kit out of the way before she discovered the affair and divorced him? Presumably, he wanted to drive Kit out of her mind(which he did) so that her death might be chalked up as a suicide, if done right......Things sure got complicated at the end, with both Rex and Peggy's husband on the prowl. Good thing John Gavin(Brian) showed up every now and then to comfort or save Kit......See it at YouTube or on DVD.

I'm not as impressed with this film as are many of our viewers, so I am giving it a very weak "7".Let's begin with the photography. I thought lighting here was often substandard. Many times the characters appear in dark shadows. It was quite distracting.In terms of the acting, also mixed reviews from me. I have never been that impressed with Rex Harrison. And this film didn't boost his image with me. I once saw him live at an opening night at the Kennedy Center; we had seats 5 rows back from the stage and I could barely hear him; I thought it must be me; but next day in the "Washington Post" they complained about how such a great experienced actor could hardly be heard. I have long felt that Harrison made a splash at one point in his career and then coasted. Here he certainly coasted. Perhaps you have to be British.I have liked Doris Day in many films, including her more dramatic roles. In particular, I liked her in "The Man Who Knew Too Much". Here she does "okay", but this is far from her best role.I always sort of liked John Gavin, but even I admit he sometimes seems a bit wooden. The wonderful Myrna Loy has a supporting role her as Doris Day's aunt. To me, her role was ruined by some lousy dialog, and it seemed to me she had lost her touch. I was happy to see another veteran actor in a supporting role here -- Herbert Marshall. Unfortunately, he was way past his prime here, and it was not a very good part. Unfortunately, Roddy McDowell is here, as well; I never thought he was very good.The plot...well, they did a really good job of shining the light of suspicion on several of the supporting characters, although, quite frankly, I think most of us knew who the villain was in the first 15 minutes of the film.Look, this is a decent film, probably worth watching for most people who like the genre or Doris Day, but it's no great shakes.

Midnight Lace is directed by David Miller and adapted to screenplay by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts from the play Matilda Shouted Fire by Janet Green. It stars Doris Day, Rex Harrison, John Gavin, Myrna Loy, Roddy McDowall and Herbert Marshall. Music is by Frank Skinner and cinematography by Russell Metty.Kit Preston (Day) is being stalked, but she can't get anyone to believe her. Is she going mad?The "woman in peril" thriller has always proved popular since the advent of film, Midnight Lace may not have the class or menace of something like Gaslight, but it's a splendid mystery thriller yarn. Pic sets its goals out from the start, as the delightful Miss Day is pursued through the pea souper fog by person unseen. Then the phone calls start, a weird voice at the end of the line issuing less than complimentary advice, but nobody is sure if she is really suffering these harassments.So, enter a whole ream of suspects from weasels and schemers to the unbalanced and the too suave to be true, red-herrings now rule the roost and it's great fun. As things progress Kit's hysteria goes up a notch at a time until it's all out psychological bedlam. The big reveal is not exactly a surprise, but the enjoyment was in getting there. Unfortunately the production loses points for some sloppy editing and poor design for the London setting, the latter rendering the already fanciful story a fake feel that's hard to shake off; the theatrical origins evident for sure.Still, Harrison and Day can pretty much sell these characters in their sleep, and they are backed up by Gavin and Loy enjoying themselves. It makes up for what it doesn't have in atmospherics or freshness of formula, with honest to goodness entertainment values. 7/10

A mildly entertaining suspense film starring Doris Day as the neglected wife of business executive Rex Harrison. She's being tormented by phone & in person by some unknown lunatic. Of course, as with most damsel in distress films, few actually believe her, least of all Harrison. Director David Miller's film is certainly derivative of other films (like DIAL M FOR MURDER & SORRY, WRONG NUMBER) but it's not without merit. Day is terrific in a rare dramatic role and the supporting cast is great: Myrna Loy; Roddy McDowell; Herbert Marshall; John Williams (as a Scotland Yard inspector of course). John Gavin is an American building contractor who just happens to be around anytime Day is in danger. It's set in London so there's A LOT of fog. Day wears one outlandish high fashion outfit after another, some of which seem to defy gravity.