The Unguarded Moment (1956)

I love this movie so much

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The Unguarded Moment is directed by Harry Keller and adapted to screenplay by Herb Meadow and Larry Marcus from a story by Marcus and Rosalind Russell. It stars Esther Williams, George Nader, John Saxon, Edward Andrews and Les Tremayne. Music is by Herman Stein and cinematography by William H. Daniels.Music teacher Lois Conway (Williams) starts receiving notes from a secret admirer, it's merely the start of something that will have severe consequences for all involved.It's a little tricky to say exactly what the intentions of the story's creators were for this one. Is it meant to be a sharp observation on sexism, misogynism, some other ism? or maybe just a caustic warning on the dangers that can lurk in teacher/student relations? Whatever the case may be, and it really isn't all together clear, it's a quirky, yet dramatic, trashy slice of entertainment.Opening with a wonderfully Hitchcockian type score (Hitch could have done wonders with this material), pic serves us up the dead body of a woman and then thrusts us into the sexually charged atmosphere of an all action college. It's a school where the girls swoon over the jocks and where the main teacher of the tale is one of the sexiest and most beautiful teachers ever! From here there's mysteries to be solved, who is stalking teacher? who is the murderer? is it the same person? and so on.Narrative revels in lurid teasings, with the Technicolor photography vividly aiding the cause. Keller's direction is sadly plodding, but he does show a keen eye for shadow play and tension mounting sequences. Perfs are good, especially an out of type Williams in a thankless role, while a brilliantly creepy Andrews steals the show.It's all a bit wild and rickety, but I have to say I really liked it. Newcomers will have to roll the dice and take their chances with it. 7/10

Esther Williams is a hot teacher. So it's natural for her boys to have a crush on her. But to act on it! John Saxon, in his screen debut, is the boy in question. Goerge Nader is the law, who's brought in, when she is coaxed by a series of letters to meet the boy in the boys' locker room at night! In the scuffle, she is shaken up and her clothes a bit torn, and the officer, who is quite taken by her, is out to get the boy, despite the fact she wants to forget the whole thing and put it behind her. He's just a boy! But if you don't punish the behavior, they don't learn, says George Nader. Then there's the question of whether Saxon is the suspect they are looking for in the case of a young girl murdered. Despite the facts that the movie starts out really melodramatic with corny dialogue and that George Nader has practically no screen personality, I got really engrossed in the film. I thought I had heard that this film was really bad. It does have some parts that were overdone or done to extreme, like Edward Andrews' performance as Saxon's father. But, costarring good supporting actors like Jack Albertson and Les Tremayne, the film certainly delivers a punch. '7' is still a little generous, but for pure entertainment and camp value, it sure fits the bill.

As clueless but compassionate high school educator Esther Williams is a fish out of water in this sensationalized hot for teacher drama featuring a variety of lurid fetishes and poor performances. A contemporary of Blackboard Jungle and Rebel without a Cause it finishes dead last in the teen angst genre of its day, setting the bar so low it defies any other glossy flic to limbo under it.Attractive Lois Conway (Williams) is a high school boy's daydream and fantasy who begins to get unwanted attention through mash notes and stalking. A woman has been murdered in the generally crime free suburban setting but Conway brazenly agrees to meet her stalker under the football stands at night without back-up. A firm believer in coddling youth she is rewarded by being assaulted. Detective Harry Graham (George Nader) handling the murder case tries to talk some sense into Conway who brusquely ignores his warnings with bullheaded charges back into harm's way. It's bad enough Conway spends most of the film displaying the common sense of a teen in a hacker film going into dark places by herself especially with the pedestrian dramatic acting abilities of Ms. Williams. In dry dock and without her signature aquatic acrobatics her performance is one long dive. Nader's detective is just as unemotive as Williams and John Saxon debuting as the latest entry in the new Brando sweepstakes seems to catch what the leads have; lack of conviction. Only Edward Andrews as the restrained at first misogynistic father of Saxon offers a performance of interest. An iconic figure of condescending authority in television and film he's allowed to stretch with a disturbed detachment and runs away with the film.Director Charles Kelleher is no Sirk or Ray but he does have William Daniels lensing and there are some excellently lit and photographed evening scenes that build maximum suspense in a film however that can only be enjoyed for the wrong reasons.

An extremely enjoyable film which sees Esther Williams battle the stereotype of the single woman in the not-so-fabulous '50s. For anyone who prefers the noir side of 1950s cinema (ie Cape Fear as opposed to Oklahoma) it portrays both the dark side of human nature and the seething naivety of the decade. After hearing about Esther's biography it was amusing to see her in a role which so strongly defended her sexual innocence!