IMDb RATING
7.5/10
7.4K
YOUR RATING
After an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her.After an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her.After an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her.
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Mike Connors
- Junior Kearney
- (as Touch Conners)
Rodney Bell
- Aggressive Drunk on Street
- (uncredited)
Lulu Mae Bohrman
- Reception Guest
- (uncredited)
George Chan
- Julius - the Butler
- (uncredited)
Estelle Etterre
- Eve Ralston
- (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
- Reception Guest
- (uncredited)
Sam Harris
- Reception Guest
- (uncredited)
Taylor Holmes
- Scott Martindale
- (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson
- Dr. Van Roan
- (uncredited)
Lewis Martin
- Bill - the Play Director
- (uncredited)
Harold Miller
- Reception Guest
- (uncredited)
Ewing Mitchell
- Bridge Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Arthur Space
- George Ralston
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAs the film's executive producer, Joan Crawford was heavily involved in all aspects of the production. She personally hired Lenore J. Coffee as the film's screenwriter, David Miller as director and suggested Elmer Bernstein as composer. She insisted on Charles Lang being hired as the film's cinematographer and personally cast Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame as her co-stars.
- GoofsWhen Junior brings Irene to her apartment and refuses to leave, she tries twice to close the door. Each time, a stagehand's hand can be seen reaching for the knob from out in the hall, a common practice on stage sets if a door doesn't latch properly or stay closed.
- Quotes
Myra Hudson: I was just wondering what I'd done to deserve you.
- Crazy creditsOne of the few films with an itemized credits listing for each wardrobe category designer.
- Alternate versionsThe previous 1999 DVD release was slightly altered. The sudden fear sequence eliminates only about 8 seconds but noteworthy ones, showing Joan Crawford's falling from a building, and being smothered by the Jack Palance character. These have been restored in the new 2016 Cohen Media Group blu-ray release.
- ConnectionsEdited into Mrs. Harris (2005)
- SoundtracksAfraid
by Elmer Bernstein and Jack Brooks
Featured review
Whewwww!
This is a real edge-of-your-seat nail-biter. David Miller did a terrific job of directing this one, and the cinematography is spectacular by Charles Lang. Some of the shots are as inspired as anything ever seen in Hollywood, such as one in Joan Crawford's library where upon hearing an inadvertent recording made on her dictaphone, she gradually shrinks back in horror against the far wall, until she becomes nearly a dot in the distance. That shot is a real triumph of cinematic inspiration. Much is accomplished with a clock and its pendulum, with the star-shaped pendulum at one point shown in shadow swinging across her chest as she gets more and more anxious. None of this is overdone, but is all subtle and effective. Joan Crawford has us all spellbound with her magnificent performance. She throws vanity to the winds, and is not afraid to show her character as someone in the round, complete with cowardice, foolishness, and even extreme stupidity, combined with cunning, intelligence, charm and inspiration. Rarely has a woman been shown so soaked in sweat with sheer terror, and she must have stepped straight out of the shower for each of those shots. When we aren't staring at her incredulous, we notice that Jack Palance is highly effective, and then we have the delectable treat of Gloria Grahame turning up. Which true cineaste does not adore Gloria Grahame? She herself probably never knew what all the fuss was about, regarding herself no doubt as an ordinary girl. But Gloria Grahame was far from ordinary. She had that indefinable something plus a lot of other somethings, which for reasons which are deeply mysterious and impossible to explain leave many people like myself in a state of entranced wonder. What was it about her? No matter how many times we watch her we will never know, all we can say is there will never be another one. This film is a real humdinger.
helpful•848
- robert-temple-1
- Aug 20, 2008
- How long is Sudden Fear?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $720,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $24,476
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,126
- Aug 14, 2016
- Gross worldwide
- $24,759
- Runtime1 hour 50 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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