I love films where the main character is not believed. When I started to think of films, my mind went blank except for “Gaslight” and “Rear Window” but there really so many more. With this in mind, I thought of these 3 films where no one believed the main protagonist nd here they are …
1. CHASE A CROOKED SHADOW-1958
I saw this film just the other day and really enjoyed it. It stars Anne Baxter as an heiress in Spain who lost her brother in a car accident a year ago and, recently, her father. When a young man shows up claiming to be her brother, she is dumbfounded especially that everyone believes this man ( Richard Todd)is her brother. She goes to the local police imploring that the young man is not her brother and the policeman ( Herbert Lom) starts to believe her. She believes that this man and the housekeeper he brings with him, are after her money, if only she could prove it. This is an intense film from the beginning especially the car speeding scene along a treacherous, winding road. What makes even more intense is that Richard Todd and Anne Baxter were the people in the car and Richard was driving! I would not have done that scene no matter what!
2. HUSH, HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE-1964
This was supposed to star Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as a kind of sequel to their big hit, “ Whatever Happened to Baby Jane” but, Joan was in one of her diva moments( one of many) and was fired which suited Bette just fine since they did not like each other. Bette plays a southern belle from a time that no longer exists. Everyone believes that she killed her fiancée 40 years ago, decapitated him, but there was insufficient proof to arrest her. Bette’s character, Charlotte was never the same and became a recluse in her fading mansion, but now her place is wanted by the State and has evicted her, but she is not going without. Fight. She writes to her cousin to help her and her cousin( played by Bette’s friend, Olivia DeHavilland) arrives who is fondly remembered by the people in the area including the country doctor, played by Joseph Cotton. They soon realize that Bette is sliding into madness and they are not sure what to do. This is a movie that I prefer over Baby Jane. Bette gives another great performance as the fragile Charlotte who professes her innocence but nobody believes her. The characters around her give their best including her dedicated maid played by the great Agnes Moorehead. It’s worth checking out.
3. BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING-1965
I saw this film years ago, when I still lived at home, when it was on at 2am and I could not turn away. Carol Lynley arrives in England with her 5 yr old daughter to spend time with her brother. She takes her daughter to school but when she goes to pick her up, nobody remembers seeing this girl. The mom, understandably, upset, contacts the police but no one remembers the little girl. When her brother supports everyone else, it begins to show that maybe the mom never had a girl, that she came to England alone. She prays that the police chief, played by Laurence Olivier, will believe her but it seems he feels she needs to see a rubber room. I realized that I questioned whether Bunny truly did exist. This is a taught thriller that keeps you on the edge of your feet and your own sanity. I need to revisit this film.
So, what films can you think of?
By the way, yesterday’s answer to which film won the Oscar…it was “Beauty and the Beast”, “ Be Our Guest” was nominated and that great song, “Tears In Heaven” never got a nomination…that is abhorrent in my opinion. The other songs that were nominated were, “ Belle” from “Beauty and the Beast”, “Everything I Do, I Do It For You” from Robin Hood and “When You’re Alone” from Hook.
Yesterday and Today the sky looks like a sick apricot colour due to the fires in Northern Ontario. Breathing is horrible so, everyone affected by this, stay inside and stay cool.
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteThanks for revealing the correct order of the songs in yesterday's post, dear friend. I assumed you threw in "Be Our Guest" as a decoy. It comes as a surprise that three songs from a single animated film were nominated for an award with one taking the win.
I have not seen Chase A Crooked Shadow, but I enjoy films about gaslighting. The scene you described in which a car containing the lead characters races down a treacherous, winding road reminds me of a heavily inebriated Cary Grant desperately trying to stay awake, stay alert and stay on the pavement as the car he is piloting careens down a steep road in NxNW. That would also be a prime example of a main character who is not believed.
I have seen Charlotte and Bunny Lake. If you haven't already watched, I urge you to check out the TV miniseries FEUD: Bette and Joan which has episodes devoted to the making of Charlotte and includes scenes with Olivia De. I enjoyed watching 1960s "it girl" Carol Lynley in her various acting roles. She also appeared as a model in countless print ads for apparel, makeup, shampoo, soft drinks, etc., some of which I have posted on my blog over the years.
Adding to the list of main characters who can't get people to believe them would be Kevin McCarthy as Dr. Miles Bennell in the 1956 sci-fi classic Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and all those teenagers in creature features of the 1950s and 60s who couldn't convince the local sheriff that monsters and aliens were threatening the town.
I enjoyed your movie reviews. Hope you and my buddy Harley are well and in good spirits. Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend BB!
Can't think of any films offhand. But, when I opened the front door this morning, all I saw was smoke and it smelled like the entire neighborhood was barbecuing. UGH! I live 16 miles north of Detroit.
ReplyDeleteI thought you must be affected by the smoke, since it seems to have reached at least as far as New York. Take care!
ReplyDeleteThe smoke is bad here too, and I'm not going anywhere! Those are three excellent films. I love Rear Window. Another one in this category would be The Fugitive.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're staying cool inside. The smoke reached ND/MN last night and it's been very hazy and gross outside. I love Rear Window but I haven't seen any of your actual picks.
ReplyDeleteYessum, I forgot to mention the air quality. It is listed as "poor" and "hazardous" in our neck of the woods today and I know it must be even worse up where you are. Hope you can avoid breathing that smoky mess, dear BB!
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic. Erin Brockovich and Silkwood are two films that come to mind.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen any of these, but I absolutely should as they are classics. Maybe someday.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteWe had a smaller impact with the fires in PA, but they just issued an air quality warning for tomorrow so it’s slowly getting here. Saturday is supposed to be rainy so that should clear us somewhat but hopefully they will be able to get the fires under control soon!!
Back to the films, all excellent picks!
Chase a Crooked Shadow deserves to be much better known than it is. Both Richard Todd and Herbert Lom are strong, but Anne Baxter does most of the heavy lifting and is very much up to the task.
“Charlotte” and “Baby Jane” are such different movies outside of the torment issue it’s tough to compare them. Charlotte has a much gentler spirit. Nothing against Olivia who bites into her role with great relish, but it would have been fascinating to see either of the two women Aldrich turned to first, Katharine Hepburn and Vivien Leigh, playing Miriam when Joan was released. Neither of them was at the point in their careers (or ever would be) where this sort of film was their only option to be able to work with Kate refusing flat out and Vivien sending that pithy cable about not possibly being able to look at Bette Davis at 6:00 in the morning!! Still, they would have been fascinating scene partners for Bette.
I am not much of a fan of Carol Lynley (although I love that when she discovered there was already an actress registered using her original professional name “Carolyn Lee” she rejiggered the two names into a new configuration while retaining the essence.) but she is actually quite good in “Bunny Lake is Missing” and the picture itself suspenseful and at times baffling. Olivier also gives a gem of a performance. Also, apart from “Tell Me You Love Me, Junie Moon” this was Otto Preminger’s last really solid job of directing before he became mired in junk like “Skidoo” and “Rosebud.”
I came up with these three:
My Name is Julia Ross (1945)-Nina Foch stars as a broke young woman in London who accepts a live-in secretarial job with a wealthy widow. She wakes up drugged in a seaside cliff-top mansion, where her employer and a menacing son gaslight her into believing she is an unstable daughter-in-law.
Midnight Lace (1960)-An ultra glamorous Doris Day plays a recently married heiress in London who believes someone is trying to kill her only all the attempts happen when no one else is around and husband Rex Harrison and her aunt Myrna Loy can’t help but wonder if Doris is slipping off her rocker.
Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) Bedridden Barbara Stanwyck overhears a murder plot when some phone lines are crossed but can’t get anyone to believe her. As the night wears on, a terrifying reality begins to dawn on her as she becomes ever more desperate for aid.
'HUSH, HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE' is a goot juan that scared the bejabbers out of my Sister when she was just a li'l kid.
ReplyDeleteTwo examples that I really love are 1) 'HARVEY' -- in which a lot of Uncle Jimmy's friends and family members didn't believe that his best friend was a 6-foot tall invisible rabbit. And 2) 'ON BORROWED TIME' -- when for quite awhile nobody believed that Lionel Barrymore had really caught and trapped the Grim Reaper up in his apple tree.
I watch both of those movies at least once every couple of years.
~ D-FensDogG
Tears in Heaven is both heart-wrenching and beautiful, and one of the most heartfelt songs I've ever heard.
ReplyDeleteI need to see Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte.
Have a pain free day and stay inside. Those fires and smoke are terrible.
I saw "Hush Hush Sweet Charolette" when I was a kid. I don't remember much about the film other than Bette Davis was sure creepy in that film. lol It'd be interesting to watch it now after all this time. The other two flicks haven't heard of before. They sound good. I will see if I can find either of these on our streaming services.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you stopping by for a visit. I'm sorry that you're not feeling well. You're in my prayers, darlin'! xo
Hello Birgit, (warm greetings from Montreal, Canada) I haven't seen any of these, but I do love old movies! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe haze got so far as Virginia Beach last Friday. Stay safe!
ReplyDelete