The Silver Screen Oasis

I watched this on DVD last week and was very impressed. It looked great and moved like lightning.

In some ways, the plot about three men obsessed with a dead woman whose career they have furthered reminded me a bit of "Laura." Also, the sinister atmosphere this film gave New York made me think of the Val Lewton films "Cat People" and "The Seventh Victim."

Indeed, the plot, in which a woman falls for a man who might be complicit in the death of her sister, reminded me a bit of "seventh Victim."

Victor Mature did a good job as the hero, and Laird Cregar was magnificent as the creepy policeman.

This truly is a wonderful and unique 1941 noir film as well as being quite close to the very dawn of the cycle. One of the aspects I find particularly interesting is Laird Cregar's character--Inspector Cornell--the obsessive detective who hounds Mature throughout the film. Steve Fisher, the author of the story named this character after (you guessed it) his contemporary in the world of penny-a-word pulp fiction---Cornell Woolrich. Mr. Woolrich, as many of us know, had numerous personal idiosyncrasies which were, no doubt known to those with whom he regularly associated. A chillingly odd yet endearing bit of noir trivia.

I'm glad you liked this movie as much as I did.

The only stuff I could read about it, in an otherwise shrewd guide to film noir called "A Girl and a Gun," was very dismissive of "I Wake Up Screaming."

MikeBSG wrote:The only stuff I could read about it, in an otherwise shrewd guide to film noir called "A Girl and a Gun," was very dismissive of "I Wake Up Screaming."

Mike,
I really don't understand how anyone could be dismissive of I Wake Up Screaming (1941). It has so many elements that became associated with film noir: glorious black and white cinematography from Edward Cronjager, the duality of the female, courtesy of Carole Landis and Betty Grable, a detour through Abnormal Psych, lots of great character actors, including Elisha Cook, Jr., and excellent, off kilter work from Laird Cregar and Victor Mature, not to mention healthy doses of urban despair, loneliness and tawdry dreams of glory that lure one and all from the straight and narrow.

My only problem with this movie is that I don't own it, and I haven't even seen the relatively new dvd, (shame, shame). Here's one appreciation of this film by a writer I like. Maybe you'll find this a more satisfying read about this movie:
Gary Giddins on I Wake Up Screaming: "Glossy Perfection"

This has been discussed all over the place here so I come back to this thread just because it carries the title.

Overall I didn't love it. I think the atmosphere is terrific and the performances are well done. Grable was fine. Apparently she didn't like her performance but what is not to like? I was a little disappointed in the ending. Cregar's obsession was a little too much. I understand the last scene explaining all this but it is a little too out of the blue. Maybe it was my mood but I didn't share in Mature's panic either. The killer really didn't seem the type and the circumstances didn't ring true for me.

One thing that it did accomplish was to make the motif from "Over The Rainbow" completely annoying. It is fine the first time or two but every time (so it seems) Betty shows up there it is. Very little variation on it makes it too constant and distracting.

As an early noir it does fine setting the bar, "The Maltese Falcon" notwithstanding. of staging and lighting for those to follow. And did they follow.

the atmosphere is terrific and the performances are well done

I agree. I also support the rest of your observations. The film's unabashed B look makes it fun and likeable. The story is standard, but satisfying. There's no greatness here. Yet, in all honesty, I prefer it to the more polished version of a few years later. In cleaning up the awkwardness of the earlier film, VICKI loses the thing that most recommends this less than brilliant story!

I Wake Up Screaming is very stylized. Victor Mature conveys vulnerability and doubt as an impresario under suspicion for murder. Laird Cregar was well cast. There was a vagueness to his character, even his sexuality. His fellow police officers knew he was deeply troubled. Betty Grable, famous for her work in Technicolor musicals, also looks great in black & white. Her character was still the same: the wholesome & sexy uncomplicated girl-next-door. This type of screen persona can be cloying, but Grable makes it endearing. 20th Century Fox made some great noirs, and this is one of them.

moira finnie wrote: ↑March 6th, 2009, 11:38 am . . . Here's one appreciation of this film by a writer I like . . .:
Gary Giddins on I Wake Up Screaming: "Glossy Perfection"

The "Glossy Perfection" appreciation by Gary Giddins that Moira Finnie linked to has changed. Here is the new link to the archived 2006 The New York Sun article (now behind a paywall).

The scene in I Wake Up Screaming that always cracks me up is the swimming pool sequence -- blatant, unmitigated exploitation to exhibit Victor Mature's physique and Betty Grable's legs (which I never thought were worth a million dollars).

I WAKE UP SCREAMING is my favorite movie title & is sometimes my reply when casually asked how I'm doing.

I like "I Wake Up Screaming," and I agree with Tiki, I love the title, but it's not my absolute favorite noir. The cast is great. I love seeing Betty Grable in a non-musical, even though she didn't like it. But I thought Laird Cregar and Victor Mature were excellent. The only part I disliked about the film was the heavy use of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." I thought that was just odd.