Fear In The Night (USA, 1947) 70 min B&W DIR-SCR: Maxwell Shane. PROD: William H. Pine, William C. Thomas. MUSIC: Rudy Schrager. DOP: Jack Greenhalgh. CAST: DeForest Kelley, Paul Kelly, Ann Doran, Kay Scott, Charles Victor, Robert Emmett Keane. (Paramount)
This nifty noir features 27-year-old DeForest Kelley in his film debut as Vince Grayson, who dreams that he killed a man in room filled with mirrors. But after he wakes up, he begins to wonder if it was a dream after all. His wandering about puts him in touch with people and places that begin to resemble those in his dream. His brother-in-law Cliff (Paul Kelly) is trying to help him realize that it was all just a dream, but he, like the viewer is not actually sure. This adaptation of a short story “Nightmare”, by Cornell Woolrich (Phantom Lady, Rear Window), is more a psychological thriller than a whodunit, studying the subconscious of its characters, and their irrational behaviour. However fantastic the resolution of this story may seem, it succeeds as Woolrich’s stories are more about the illogic of nightmares than tidy narratives.
Fear in the Night simulates for the viewer what it is like to be inside the head of an unstable person, in the stunning opening, where we see Grayson commit the murders, however real or imagined. The acts are filmed with this strange optical effect of distorted glass placed over the lens, creating an odd frame within the frame- an eyepiece for the deranged. It is not a POV, as Kelley is within the decoupage, but it does serve to disorient the viewer. This low-budget fare is a compact, fascinating movie that has more than a few innovative moments. When by chance Grayson does end up at the very house in which he may have committed the murders, we witness a superbly shot moment taking place in front of a three-way mirror. This too, is more than just an empty beauty shot. It is a nice visual reminder of the psychology behind Grayson and the other characters- who are they really; what did they really do? Prolific screenwriter and occasional director Maxwell Shane once more adapted this story in Nightmare (1956), with Edward G. Robinson.
Updated from a review originally published in Vol. #1, Issue #13 (“Noir”).
Greg Woods
Greg Woods has been a film enthusiast since his teens, and began his writing "career" at the same time- prolific in capsule reviews of everything he had watched, first on index cards, then those hardcover dollar store black journals, then an old Mac IIsi. He founded The Eclectic Screening Room in 2001, as a portal to share his film love with the world, and find some like-minded enthusiasts along the way. In addition to having worked in the film industry for over two decades, he has been a co-programmer of films at Trash Palace, and a programmer/co-founder of the Toronto Film Noir Syndicate. He has also written for Broken Pencil, CU-Confidential, Micro-Film, and is currently working on his first novel. His secret desire is for someone to interview him for a podcast or a DVD extra.