Hayden Rorke Movies
An alumnus of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Brooklyn-born Hayden Rorke became a member of the original Walter Hampden theatrical company in the early '30s (he ended up the last surviving member of that hardy troupe). While serving in WWII, Rorke appeared in both the road company and film versions of the all-serviceman musical This Is the Army. He would make 70 Broadway appearances in his career, in additional to some 50 films and nearly 400 TV shows. Though usually unbilled, Rorke was instantly recognizable in roles calling for erudition and urbanity, notably in such films as An American in Paris (1951) and The Robe (1953). Among his many TV assignments was the role of CBS radio announcer John Daly (though his character was not identified by name) in the Pearl Harbor episode of the CBS historical series You Are There; he also co-starred in the two-part pilot for an intriguing 1951 science fiction series Project Moonbase, which didn't make it as a series but was released as a theatrical feature. Still essaying small movie roles into the 1960s, Hayden Rorke finally achieved a fame (and generous screen time) in the continuing role of flustered air force psychiatrist Dr. Bellows on the fanciful TV sitcom I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1964
This drama tells the true story of one of Broadway's most successful madams in the 1920s. It is loosely based on the autobiography of Polly Adler. The story begins when young Polly is seduced and raped at her job by the sweatshop foreman. When her uncle, with whom she lived, learns of the act, he blames her and tosses her out. She then moves into an apartment owned by a racketeer. It is he who encourages her into her "helping" profession when he gives her money for bringing her pals to a gangster party. Soon she is beginning to build up her own clientele. As her business prospers, she begins to choose nicer locations. Her tiny cathouse becomes a haven for sleazy politicos, mobsters, and businessmen. The madame herself has a passionate romance with a young songwriter and she helps his career. He does not know of her vocation and she eventually breaks up with him to keep his reputation intact. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shelley Winters, Robert Taylor, (more)
- 1959
Though billed fifth, Mary Astor is the one to watch in the Ross Hunter-produced soapera Stranger in My Arms. Astor portrays a neurotically possessive mother who'll stop at nothing to win a posthumous medal of honor for her son. But air force major Jeff Chandler knows that the dead boy was a coward who actually despised his mother. June Allyson, the boy's widow, suspects the truth, but would rather not hear it. Called to testify on behalf of the boy, Chandler is bribed by Ms. Astor to lie on the stand. The painful truth is eventually revealed, but there's some compensation for Ms. Allyson, who falls in love with Chandler. Stranger in My Arms was adapted from Robert Wilder's novel And Ride a Tiger. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- June Allyson, Jeff Chandler, (more)
- 1952
- NR
Above and Beyond is the story of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, as told from the perspective of the man who flew the mission. Robert Taylor stars as Col. Paul Tibbetts, commander of the Enola Gay. Once selected for this extremely dangerous mission, Tibbetts must hand-pick a crew worthy of the task. He is also forced to keep his mission a closely guarded secret, even unto withholding all information from his loving and patient wife Lucey (Eleanor Parker). The film concentrates on the strain placed upon Tibbetts, his crew and their families in the crucial days before the "big drop". The bombing itself is handled with taste and decorum, though the horror and mixed emotions of the moment are brilliantly conveyed on the faces of Tibbetts and his men. Above and Beyond represents a rare noncomedy endeavor from the writer-director team of Melvin Frank and Norman Panama. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker, (more)
One of director Douglas Sirk's best and most successful romantic soapers of the 1950s, All That Heaven Allows is predicated on a May-December romance. The difference here is that the woman, attractive widow Cary Scott (Jane Wyman), is considerably older than the man, handsome gardener-landscaper Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson). Sirk builds up sympathy for Cary by showing how empty her life has been since her husband's death, even suggesting that the marriage itself was no picnic. Throwing conventionial behavior to the winds and facing social ostracism, Cary pursues her romance with Ron, who is unjustly perceived as a fortune-hunter by Cary's friends and family--especially her priggish son Ned (William Reynolds). Amusingly, Conrad Nagel was to have had a much larger part as Harvey, an elderly widower who carries a torch for Cary, but his role was trimmed down during previews when audiences disapproved of an implicit romance between a sixtyish man and a fortysomething woman! All That Heaven Allows was remade by unabashed Douglas Sirk admirer Rainer Werner Fassbinder as Ali--Fear Eats the Soul (1974), in which the age gap between hero and heroine was even wider. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, (more)
Gene Kelly does his patented Pal Joey bit as Jerry Mulligan, an opportunistic American painter living in Paris' "starving artists" colony. He is discovered by wealthy Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), who becomes Jerry's patroness in more ways than one. Meanwhile, Jerry plays hookey on this setup by romancing waif-like Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron) -- who, unbeknownst to him, is the object of the affections of his close friend Henri (Georges Guetary), a popular nightclub performer. (The film was supposed to make Guetary into "the New Chevalier." It didn't.) The thinnish plot is held together by the superlative production numbers and by the recycling of several vintage George Gershwin tunes, including "I Got Rhythm," "'S Wonderful," and "Our Love Is Here to Stay." Highlights include Guetary's rendition of "Stairway to Paradise"; Oscar Levant's fantasy of conducting and performing Gershwin's "Concerto in F" (Levant also appears as every member of the orchestra); and the closing 17-minute "American in Paris" ballet, in which Kelly and Caron dance before lavish backgrounds based on the works of famed French artists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, (more)
- 1961
This third film version of the lachrymose Fannie Hurst novel Back Street stars Susan Hayward as Rae Smith the role previously essayed by Irene Dunne (in 1932) and Margaret Sullavan (in 1941). In both earlier films, Rae Smith sacrifices 28 years of her life to her married lover, who can never get a divorce and who compels Rae to squirrel herself away in a shabby back-street apartment. In contrast, Susan Hayward's Rae Smith is a fiercely independent fashion designer, whose fidelity to the very married John Gavin doesn't retard her livelihood in the least. Vera Miles makes a meal of her supporting role as Gavin's shrewish, alcoholic wife. Though cinematographer Stanley Cortez does his utmost, he can't completely hide the fact that Hayward is at least ten years older than her costars, making her seem more of a doting aunt than the "other woman" (the film might have been more effective had Hayward and Miles switched roles). Its plot inconsistencies and logic lapses notwithstanding, Back Street proved to be another hit for producer Ross Hunter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Hayward, John Gavin, (more)
- 1962
Mercedes McCambridge guest-stars as Deborrah Banning, the wife of Baltimore publisher Horace Manning (Hayden Rorke). Having married for money and social prestige, Deborrah ended up living in poverty and obscurity due to her husband's many financial failures. Now living vicariously through her daughter Melinda (Audrey Dalton), Deborrah is determined that Melinda will marry a Cartwright -- any Cartwright. The plot thickens when Melinda rejects Joe, who loves her dearly, in favor of Adam, who doesn't. First telecast January 14, 1962, "The Lady from Baltimore" was written by John Peyser. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1953
Confidentially Connie is an MGM factory product starring Janet Leigh and Van Johnson. Upon learning she is pregnant, Leigh tries to convince her husband Johnson, a humble teacher, to find a better-paying job. But Johnson is a proud man, so much so that he refuses to request money from his wealthy father (Louis Calhern). Somehow this plotline was related to the dilemma of rising meat prices in the postwar era. In the 1930s, MGM would have stretched Confidentially Connie well past its welcome, say for about 100 minutes; but 1953 was a year of austerity, thus this harmless little comedy breezed along at 74 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Van Johnson, Janet Leigh, (more)
- 1950
Double Crossbones is an unusually elaborate comedy vehicle for Donald O'Connor. Set in the Carolinas in the 18th century, the film casts O'Connor as Davy Crandall, a bumbling shopkeeper's apprentice. Davy's boss (Hayden Rourke) is in cahoots with the corrupt colonial governor (John Emery), who in turn deals directly with the pirates who sail in and out of port with impunity. Unfairly accused of piracy, Davy finds refuge on a buccaneer's boat. Through circumstances better seen than described, our hapless hero gains the reputation of being the boldest pirate on the Seven Seas. The stellar supporting cast includes Helena Carter as the heroine, Will Geer as O'Connor's aide-de-camp, and Hope Emerson, Alan Napier and Robert Barrat, cast respectively as notorious pirates Anne Bonney, Capt. Kidd and Henry Morgan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald O'Connor, Helena Carter, (more)
- 1954
Though heavily advertised as Delmar Daves' Drum Beat, this film owed its existence to producer-star Alan Ladd. The star is cast as a veteran Indian fighter Johnny MacKay, who because of his close relationship with the Medoc tribe is sent out to negotiate a peace treaty. Once he has arrived in Medoc territory, Johnny (Ladd) must contend with the misspent emotions of his childhood sweetheart Toby (Marisa Pavan), the sister of Indian chief Manok (Anthony Caruso). Jealous over Johnny's relationship with pretty Nancy Meek (Audrey Dalton), Toby has cast her lot with renegade warrior Captain Jack (Charles Bronson), who honors no treaties. Though the film has a Native American villain, Drum Beat is largely sympathetic to the plight of the Indian. Based on a true story, the film is distinguished by J. Peverell Marley's breathtaking exterior photography, and by Victor Young's ballad-like musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Audrey Dalton, (more)
- 1951
- NR
This sequel to the 1950 comedy hit Father of the Bride finds Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett returning as Stanley and Ellie Banks, the parents of newlywed Kay Dunstan (Elizabeth Taylor). In the first film, Stanley Banks was forced to endure the chaotic events leading up to the wedding. This time, he must comes to grips with the prospect of becoming a grandfather. Once he's reconciled himself to this jolt of mortality, Stanley must contend with the little bundle of joy, who screams his head off every time Grandpa comes near him. Father's Little Dividend was remade in 1994 as Father of the Bride II, with Steve Martin assuming the Spencer Tracy role, and with the added complication of discovering that his own wife (Diane Keaton) is also pregnant. The copyright for Father's Little Dividend was not renewed in 1978; thus the film has lapsed into public domain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, (more)
- 1951
In this funny sequel to the popular Francis the Talking Mule the loquacious equine and his plucky pal Peter (Donald O'Connor) get a job working on a horse-breeder's ranch and end up saving it from financial ruin when Francis, who has the inside track with the racehorses, provides Peter with names of the winners before the races are run. Sure enough Peter finds himself with a fistful of cash and uses it to buy a racehorse for the farm. Unfortunately, the mare he chooses is suffering from a debilitating lack of confidence. Fortunately, Francis is around to perk her up. When not dealing with the mare, Peter finds time to court the horse- breeder's lovely niece. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald O'Connor, Piper Laurie, (more)
- 1985
In this comedy, a revival of the popular TV-series from the mid-60s, the wedded bliss of astronaut Tony Nelson and his magical djin and wife Jeannie is endangered when Jeannie desires to become more independent. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Having crash-landed on a deserted island, astronaut Tony Nelson (Larry Hagman) wonders if he'll ever be rescued. He doesn't have to wonder long; discovering a strange-looking bottle, Tony uncorks the vessel and releases a sexy female genie (Barbara Eden) who has been trapped therein for 2500 years! "Jeannie" promptly arranges for Tony to be located by the air force search copters, and before long he has been whisked back to his home base in Cocoa Beach, Florida--with Jeannie, vowing eternal devotion to her new "master", dutifully following along. Thus begins the first season of I Dream of Jeannie, filmed in black and white so that Jeannie's magical powers will register better on the small screen. In the first four episodes, Karen Sharpe is seen as Tony's fiancée Melissa, the daughter of base commander Gen. Wingard Stone (Philip Ober). Thanks to the mystical machinations of the jealous Jeannie, Melissa has soon exited the scene, just as Tony's subsequent lady friends will be scared off in future episodes. Frustrated that his life is now in the hands of a capricious sprite, Tony at first tries to convince base psychiatrist Dr. Bellows (Hayden Rorke) that there's a genuine genie in his house. Alas, Tony not only fails to make his case, but he convinces Dr. Bellows that he's crazy, a plot development that will dictate the action of many an episode to come. As it turns out, the only other person who is aware of Jeannie's true identity is Tony's astronaut pal Roger Healy (Bill Daily), who stumbles onto the secret in the episode titled "The Richest Astronaut in the World". Roger's efforts to capitalize upon Jeannie's peculiar talents will, of course, cause nothing but trouble for himself and Tony. Appearing in several episodes during Season One is veteran movie villain Barton MacLane as bombastic air force general Martin Peterson. The season I Dream of Jeannie ends with "I'll Never Forget What's Her Name", wherein Tony develops partial amnesia, which enables him to remember everything and everybody EXCEPT Jeannie! (Incident, if Jeannie appears most modestly garbed than usual in several episodes, it is because star Barbara Eden was pregnant at the time). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, (more)
I Dream of Jeannie switches from black and white to color as the series enters its second season, enabling magical heroine Jeannie (Barbara Eden) to convey her various mood swings via the color of the smoke emanating from the bottle where she resides. Otherwise, it's the mixture as before: Astronaut Tony Nelson (Larry Hagman) does his best to hide the fact that a genuine genie is living on his property; Tony's buddy Roger (Bill Daily) continues to try to capitalize on Jeannie's unique skills in order to fatten his bank account; and base psychiatrist Dr. Bellows (Hayden Rorke) is more determined than ever to prove that the strange occurrences in the Nelson household are proof that Tony is a few bricks shy of a full load. This season, the long-suffering Bellows is given an equally long-suffering wife named Amanda, played by skilled comic actress Emmaline Henry). The season opener "Happy Anniversary" features Michael Ansara, then the husband of series star Barbara Eden, as the Blue Djinn, who first trapped Jeannie in her bottle 2500 years ago. Other guest stars include Paul Lynde as a confused IRS agent in "My Master the Rich Tycoon"; veteran Hollywood musical arranger Frank DeVol in "My Master, the Great Caruso"; Butch Patrick, fresh from two seasons of The Munsters, as Dr. Bellows' bratty nephew in "My Master the Author"; and a cameo appearance by series creator Sidney Sheldon's longtime friend Groucho Marx in "Greatest Invention in the World". Also, this season features the series' first two-part episode, "The Girl Who Never Had a Birthday", in which Jeannie is in danger of disappearing forever because of the dilemma elucidated in the episode's title. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, (more)
Season Three of I Dream of Jeannie finds the magical Jeannie (Barbara Eden) still loyal and devoted to her mortal "master", astronaut Tony Nelson (Larry Hagman), while Tony's best friend Roger Healy (Bill Daily) continues to hatch schemes to exploit Jeannie's astonishing powers--and Dr. Bellows (Hayden Rorke), flustered Air Force psychiatrist at Cocoa Beach, Florida, persists in his efforts to discover the source of the mysterious occurrences in the Nelson household. This season marks the introduction of Jeannie's twin sister Jeannie II (played by Barbara Eden in a brunette wig) in the episode "Jeannie or the Tiger." As wicked and calculating as her sister is sweet and unassuming, Jeannie II immediately begins plotting and planning to nab Tony for herself, usually by posing as "Jeannie I", bare-midriff harem costume and all. Other episodes of note include the season opener "Fly Me to the Moon", wherein Jeannie transforms a NASA chimp into a human being, played by Larry Storch; "My Master,the Weakling", featuring Don Rickles as a sadistic athletic coach; "Jeannie, the Hip Hippie", a showcase for Screen Gems' resident tunesmiths Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart; "Meet My Master's Mother", with the delightful Spring Byington in the title role; "My Son, the Genie", with Gilligan's Island escapee Bob Denver as a klutzy apprentice djinn; and singer Don Ho as himself in "Jeannie of Honolulu." Plus: In "Who are You Calling a Genie", our heroine develops amnesia; and in the three-part "Genie, Genie, Who's Got the Genie", the duplicitous "twin" Jeannie locks the genuine article in a safe bound for the moon! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, (more)
Season Four of I Dream of Jeannie opens with the episode "U-F-Oh Jeannie", in which the magical titular heroine Barbara Eden and her astronauts friends Tony (Larry Hagman) and Roger (Bill Daily) skirmish with a family of gun-totin' hillbillies. In the subsequent "Djinn Djinn Go Away", we are introduced to Jeannie's troublesome magical dog, who has a bad habit of making himself invisible after wreaking havoc. Also: Joe Flynn, late of McHale's Navy, plays the no-nonsense replacement of Tony's psychiatrist nemesis Dr. Bellows (Hayden Rorke) in "Dr. Bellows Go Sane"; "The Biggest Star in Hollywood" features guest appearances by several of the regulars from Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, as well as that series' producer George H. Schlatter; and still one year away from becoming the "new Darrin" on Bewitched, Dick Sargent shows up in "Jeannie for the Defense". The season's liveliest episode is the two-part "The Case of the Vanishing Master", wherein enemy agents plant a lookalike for Tony Nelson in his home, causing no end of mischief when the phony Tony tumbles onto Jeannie's secret identity. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, (more)
The fifth and final season of I Dream of Jeannie marks the long-overdue consummation of the romance between sexy genie Jeannie (Barbara Eden) and her "master", astronaut Tony Nelson (Larry Nelson), with Tony finally popping the question in the two-part episode "Guess Who's Going to Be a Bride." The impending marriage of the two principals opens up all sorts of new plot developments: For example, Jeannie is unable to partake of the obligatory blood test because a genie's blood is green; and in the episode "The Wedding", an attempt to snap a picture of the happy couple comes a-cropper because genies can't be photographed! And even though Tony and Jeannie are still husband and wife, Jeannie's duplicitous twin sister (also Barbara Eden) has not given up her efforts to snag Tony for herself, as witness the episode "My Sister the Homemaker", which ironically boasts a guest appearance by Barbara Eden's real-life husband Michael Ansara. And so it goes until the series' 139th and final episode, "My Master, the Chili King". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, (more)
- 1952
Dying of curiosity, Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ethel (Vivian Vance) are determined to get a glimpse of their somewhat secretive new neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien (Hayden Rorke, K.T. Stevens). Unbeknownst to the girls, the O'Briens are professional actors, currently rehearsing a play in which they are cast as enemy spies. Hiding in the O'Briens' closet, Lucy (Lucille Ball) is appalled to overhear the couple apparently scheming to blow up the Capitol building. One misunderstanding leads to another, and by episode's end Ethel, Ricky (Desi Arnaz), Fred (William Frawley), and a confused cop (Allen Jenkins) are swept in Lucy's hairbrained scheme to save the country from the "evil" O'Briens. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Allen Jenkins, Hayden Rorke, (more)
- 1964
Maurice Chevalier plays Philip Dulaine, a supposedly dying millionaire, while Sandra Dee co-stars as Cynthia, the elderly man's granddaughter. To allow Dulaine to die happy, Cynthia promises to find a husband. Actually, Dulaine is only pretending to be at death's door to get Cynthia married off. Subsequent complications involve Cynthia's personal choice for a husband, Warren Palmer (Andy Williams), and Dulaine's selection, Paul Benton (Robert Goulet). Deanna Durbin fans will quickly detect that I'd Rather Be Rich is a remake of Durbin's It Started With Eve (1941), with a gender switch (in the original, Robert Cummings is the grandson, and Durbin is the instant fiancee) and with Maurice Chevalier filling the sizeable shoes of Charles Laughton as the foxy grandpa. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandra Dee, Robert Goulet, (more)
- 1951
Director Gerry Mayer, nephew of MGM-head Louis B. Mayer, proved that nepotism had nothing to do with his hiring by turning out the first-rate historical melodrama Inside Straight. The film begins in 1870 San Francisco, as the city is threatened with financial disaster due to overspeculation on the Comstock Lode. David Brian stars as local tycoon Rip MacCool, who in a series of flashbacks recalls his rise to prominence. While wheeling and dealing with other people's money, MacCool loves and loses two wives: Lily Douvane (Arlene Dahl) takes him for every penny he's got, while Zoe Carnot (Paula Raymond) dies in childbirth. Back in the present, MacCool is forced to make a fateful decision that will, for once, benefit someone else rather than himself. In a supporting role as town banker Ada Stritch, Mercedes McCambridge figures prominently in the final sequence, in which everything hinges on the titular poker hand. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Brian, Arlene Dahl, (more)
Errol Flynn is top-billed in Kim, but the title character is played by Dean Stockwell. The son of an Irish sergeant, young Kim wanders through the streets and hills of Colonial India, disguised as a native boy. Kim's adventures include an episode with a horse trader (Errol Flynn) who is actually a British secret agent; a sojourn with a holy lama (Paul Lukas) on a mysterious quest; and involvement with a plan to rid the Khyber Pass of Czarist Russian agitators. Kim had been in the planning stages since 1938 (those considered for the title role included Freddie Bartholomew and Mickey Rooney), but the property's catch-as-catch-can storyline, coupled with the changing political climate in postwar India, delayed production until 1949. While a great deal of Kim was filmed on location in India, some of the more complicated exterior sequences were lensed in Lone Pine, California. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Errol Flynn, Dean Stockwell, (more)
Lucky Me is a mixed-bag musical from Warner Bros., adhering to a tried-and-true formula that was wearing just a bit thin in 1954. Candy (Doris Day), Hap (Phil Silvers), Duke (Eddie Foy Jr.) and Flo (Nancy Walker) are four small-time performers who find themselves stranded in Miami. Forced to take domestic jobs in a fancy hotel, the foursomes's spirits are lifted when songwriter Dick (Bob Cummings) checks in. On the verge of writing a big-time Broadway show, Dick invites the four entertainers to participate. The hitch: In order to bankroll the show, Dick must woo and win the daughter (Martha Hyer) of a Texas oil magnate. . .and Candy has fallen in love with Dick. Sharp-eyed viewers will spot Angie Dickinson making her uncredited feature-film debut. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Doris Day, Robert Cummings, (more)
Producer/director S. Sylvan Simon, a man usually associated with comedies and musicals, turned out a rip-roaring western melodrama when he aimed his sights at Lust for Gold. Most of the film is told in flashback, relating the exploits of Jacob Walz (Glenn Ford), the greedy, homicidal owner of the legendary Lost Dutchman Mine. After conniving and killing his way to success, Walz is destroyed when he falls in love with equally mercenary Julia Thomas (Ida Lupino at her nasty best). The film returns to the Present, as a descendant of Walz tries to locate the mine--and endangers his own life in the process. Most of the action highlights in Lust for Gold would turn up as stock footage in future Columbia productions, including an episode of TV's Captain Midnight. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ida Lupino, Glenn Ford, (more)
- 1960
Kit (Doris Day), an American married to wealthy London businessman Tony Preston (Rex Harrison) becomes the terrified victim of a mysterious stalker, who she hears but can never see. She is threatened by the eerie, high-pitched voice as she walks in the thick London fog. She then begins receiving repeated threatening telephone calls. The now totally panicked Kit is nearly killed when someone pushes her in front of a bus. Unfortunately for Kit, no one but she hears the voice or the telephone calls and neither Tony, Kit's visiting aunt Bea (Myra Loy), or Scotland Yard take any of these incidents seriously. The only one who seems to believe Kit is Brian Younger (John Gavin), a construction foreman, but Kit is not convinced that she can trust him. The tension builds to a thrilling climax as Kit flees for her life on a scaffolding outside her apartment building. Midnight Lace is an exciting thriller, with many surprising plot twists and a nice sinister performance by Rex Harrison. Roddy McDowall is also fun as the son of Kit's housekeeper, who keeps hitting up his mom for money. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Doris Day, Rex Harrison, (more)
