Every once in a while, I see an old movie on TCM and ask myself: why have I never seen this before? It happened again with the 1952 film noir Sudden Fear. I’m a Joan Crawford fan and it contains one of her finest performances. How could I have missed it? The last time I had this feeling was with Experiment In Terror, which is also set in my other hometown of San Francisco.
We meet Joan’s character Myra Hudson in a theatre in New York. She’s a playwright watching a rehearsal. She doesn’t like what she sees from leading man, Jack Palance. She doesn’t think Palance is romantic enough for the part. Joan wants him fired but is unwilling to do it herself, so the director does it. Palance is furious because it’s a juicy part in a play that seems destined to be a hit. Jack Wilson in Shane would have shot someone, but Palance takes a more devious path to vengeance.
After the show’s successful premiere, Crawford takes the train home to San Francisco. Palance is on the same train. He woos her and wins her over as they chug westward. Joan has no idea what she’s in for after taking this man into her life.
Back home in San Francisco, Crawford is a pillar of the community. She’s a philanthropist with plans to endow a foundation with her late father’s wealth. She figures that she’s made enough money on her own to live large. Her attorney and bestie is played by Bruce Bennett. Bennett’s law partner and kid brother is played by TV’s Mannix, Mike Connors who is billed as Touch Connors. I am not making this up.
Connors also has the touch with the ladies. He gets involved with Gloria Grahame and introduces her into his circle of friends. Gloria is up to no good: she’s Palance’s main squeeze. By the time Gloria shows up, Palance and Crawford are married.
That’s what happens when you mess with Joan Fucking Crawford.
One oddity of Sudden Fear is that the rule of the two best-looking people in the movie applies to Joan Crawford and Gloria Grahame. Jack Palance is a fine actor with a beautiful speaking voice, but he’s no looker.
Back to our story.
Initially, Palance seems content to ruin Crawford’s life in slow motion. Then he learns of her plans to give away her money. Palance is wrongly convinced that he’ll be cut out of her will, so he connives with Grahame to rid himself of his wife. That’s all the plot I’m willing to share, this feature is called pulp fiction, not pulp spoilers, after all. Suffice it to say that the plot takes many exciting twists and turns before the end credits roll. Consider this triptych a tease:
Joan Crawford received a well-deserved best actress nomination for Sudden Fear. It’s a subtle and nuanced performance that reminds us that Joan got her start in silent movies. There oughta be a song titled Joan Crawford Eyes because, like her rival Bette Davis, she acts with her eyes and facial expressions. There is, however, this BOC tune:
Joan Crawford has risen from the grave? Gloria and Jack better hide.
The acting in Sudden Fear is excellent, especially by the other points on the love triangle. Palance is alternately suave and sinister. Grahame is alternately cute and cunning. They make a dynamic team out to bring the star down.
David Miller directed the movie. He made some other fine films, but Sudden Fear is his masterpiece. It has a hallucinatory quality thanks to Charles Lang’s stellar cinematography. The clever script is by Leonore Coffee and Robert Smith. The music is by Elmer Bernstein; say no more.
Sudden Fear was Joan Crawford’s baby. Joseph Kauffman is listed as the producer, but Joan ran the show. Anyone surprised? I thought not.
Grading Time: I give Sudden Fear 4 stars and an Adrastos Grade of A-. It’s a thrilling way to spend 110 minutes of your life.
Let’s check out some suddenly fearful graphics. We begin with side-by-side one sheet posters:
The French title translates as The Mask Torn Off. It’s too literal for my taste. I thought the French were more subtle than that, but they think Jerry Lewis is a genius so…
Here’s the quad poster complete with a swell tagline:
Do you know what time it is? It’s time to follow the dancing movie snacks to the lobby:
You don’t need to lobby to see the color lobby cards for this black and white film.
The ghost of Joan Crawford is going to open a can of whoop ass on whoever billed Palance above her for this video freeze frame. Repeat after me: Don’t mess with Joan Fucking Crawford.
The last word goes to TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz and his Creepy Cinema sidekick, Mario Cantone.
On the subject of movies:
Hubby and I went to see “The Apprentice” movie yesterday. Early showing; few people there; but, all of us laughed at the appropriate times so I imagine there were no MAGAs in the house. I recommend the movie because you should see Jeremy Strong’s performance as Roy Cohn…Wow! 👏 The rest of the movie is what you expect. A stoopid man with an out-sized ego and a need to be seen and accepted is destined to be a failure until…an evil presence sees a soul he can easily purchase! Thanks a lot, Roy!! 🤬🤬 I warn you, though, the movie is very hard to watch…psychologically and physically, it will make you ill from watching the rise of this THING THAT WOULDN’T DIE! 🤢🤮 [Dear Secret Service: that is not a threat…it’s a SciFi reference!! 😱]
You had to like Mario’s comment that things always go south when Gloria Graham shows up. How true. She was always the best bad girl, vixen, homewrecker. Probably because it wasn’t all that much of a stretch.
Thanks for reminding me of this – i hadn’t seen it for years and re-watched it. The portion after Joan learns the truth is really great and suspenseful. The final segment/chase is first rate!
re: Jack Palance .. my favorite of his is “Attack” directed by Robert Aldrich, co-starring Lee Marvin, Buddy Ebsen, Robert Strauss and a superbly cowardly Eddie Albert.