Product: Sudden Fear [VHS]
Rating: 4.0
Joan Crawford Triumphs Again
Once I finally broke down and bought a DVD player, I thought the only possible way to break it in was with an unfamiliar film by my beloved Joan Crawford, 1952's Sudden Fear. The film is a real thriller, sort of a higher-class film noir forerunner of some of the more exciting horror films she made in the 1960s (Strait-Jacket and Berserk come to mind; I won't watch Baby Jane because I can't stand to see Joan be mistreated).Joan is magnificent as a wealthy heiress/playwright who becomes the target of a murder plot by her actor husband (Jack Palance) and his girlfriend (Gloria Grahame, whose scene-stealing performance is almost worth the price of the film). Joan becomes privy to the murder plan thanks to the advanced electronic technology in her San Francisco mansion. Always the playwright, she uses her plot-devising skills to foil the murder attempt, but backs out at the last second from carrying out her plan. We do however at least get the satisfaction of seeing what she had intended through a kind of dream sequence which left me cheering.Up to the last few minutes of the film, I felt it definitely deserved five stars. However, the ending is a bit of a letdown; it is far too dependent on mere chance to be satisfactory. I couldn't help thinking that a better ending that arose more naturally from the plot could have been devised. For example, if Joan had carried it out, the dream sequence would have been a great improvement over the ending we have, and confirmed once more her regular screen persona of being in charge of every situation.Nevertheless, Sudden Fear is an engrossing and exciting film. It was a great way to both break in my new DVD player and to spend an evening, not to mention being a valuable addition to my appreciation of Joan Crawford the actress.