Nightmare (1956 film)

Nightmare
Nightmare
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Maxwell Shane
Screenplay by	Maxwell Shane
Based on	And So to Death; 1941 story; by Cornell Woolrich
Produced by	William H. Pine; William C. Thomas
Starring	Edward G. Robinson; Kevin McCarthy; Connie Russell
Cinematography	Joseph F. Biroc
Edited by	George A. Gittens
Music by	Herschel Burke Gilbert
Color process	Black and white
Production; company	Pine-Thomas-Shane Productions
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	May 11, 1956;
Running time	89 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Nightmare is a 1956 American film noir crime film directed by Maxwell Shane and starring Edward G. Robinson, Kevin McCarthy and Connie Russell.^[1]

The story is based on a novel by William Irish (a pseudonym of Cornell Woolrich). The book had been previously adapted as the 1947 film Fear in the Night, originally titled Nightmare, also written and directed by Shane.^[2]^[3]

Plot

New Orleans big-band clarinetist Stan Grayson experiences a nightmare in which he sees himself killing a man in a mirrored room, while in the background haunting dirge-like music plays. He awakens to find blood on himself, bruises on his neck and a key from the dream in his hand.

Grayson tells his brother-in-law, police detective Rene Bressard, about the problem but is dismissed. Later, the two men take a picnic in the country with Grayson's girlfriend and sister. Grayson leads them to the empty house from his dream, and it begins to rain. After they find a record player and begin dancing, Grayson's girlfriend bumps into the phonograph, changing the speed. The slowed music becomes the song from Grayson's nightmare. They then discover that the house contains a mirrored room as in Grayson's dream. When he finds that a murder did indeed take place, Bressard suspects Grayson.

Grayson, stressed and suicidal, protests his innocence, which makes Bressard dig deeper. They learn that a hypnotist living in Grayson's building may have caused him to commit the murder. Bressard now must prove that although Grayson committed the murder, he was acting against his will.

Cast

Edward G. Robinson as Rene Bressard
Kevin McCarthy as Stan Grayson
Connie Russell as Gina, Stan's Girl
Virginia Christine as Mrs. Sue Bressard
Rhys Williams as Deputy Torrence
Gage Clarke as Harry Britten
Marian Carr as Madge Novick
Barry Atwater as Capt. Warner
Meade Lux Lewis as Meade
Billy May and His Orchestra as Themselves

Production

The film was the first production of Pine-Thomas-Shane Productions, a new iteration of Pine-Thomas Productions, which had been based at Paramount from 1940 to 1954. The company signed a contract with United Artists, but William H. Pine died. The company was renamed Pine-Thomas-Shane to reflect the contribution of long-time screenwriter Maxwell Shane, and the titular Pine was Howard Pine, William Pine's son. The film was intended as the first of three films for United Artists, with the others to be Lincoln McEever and The Mountain Has No Shadow,^[4] although these were never produced. Filming began on October 31, 1955.^[5]

Billy May and His Orchestra perform in the film as themselves. They also provide the theme song, "Nightmare in New Orleans."^[4]

Although Edward G. Robinson does not portray the hypnotist in the film, he was promoted as such in the film's promotional materials.

Reception

In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Milton Esterow called the film "... a modest melodrama with some crooked turns but neat performances ..."^[6]

The Los Angeles Times called Nightmare "draggy" and wrote: "Its opening scenes are effective, but things go haywire fast."^[7]

References

^ NIGHTMARE Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 23, Iss. 264, (Jan 1, 1956): 78.
^ LESSER WILL STAR EDWARD ROBINSON New York Times 11 Apr 1946: 34.
^ Fear in the Mirror: In Search of a Clean conscience in Maxwell Shane’s Fear in the Night and Nightmare - Art & Trash
^ ^a ^b Drama: Simmons Music Career to Speed in 'Les Girls Los Angeles Times 21 Oct 1955: B9.
^ "Variety (November 1955)". Variety. 16 November 1955.
^ 'Nightmare' Is Presented at the Palace New York Times 12 May 1956: 28.
^ "Naish Leads Rebel Gang in Western". Los Angeles Times. 1956-08-02. pp. 9, Part III.