IMDb RATING
7.5/10
7.9K
YOUR RATING
After an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her.After an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her.After an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her.
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Mike Connors
- Junior Kearney
- (as Touch Conners)
Rodney Bell
- Aggressive Drunk on Street
- (uncredited)
Lulu Mae Bohrman
- Reception Guest
- (uncredited)
George Chan
- Julius - the Butler
- (uncredited)
Estelle Etterre
- Eve Ralston
- (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
- Reception Guest
- (uncredited)
Sam Harris
- Reception Guest
- (uncredited)
Taylor Holmes
- Scott Martindale
- (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson
- Dr. Van Roan
- (uncredited)
Lewis Martin
- Bill - the Play Director
- (uncredited)
Harold Miller
- Reception Guest
- (uncredited)
Ewing Mitchell
- Bridge Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Arthur Space
- George Ralston
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAs the film's executive producer, Joan Crawford was heavily involved in all aspects of the production. She personally hired Lenore J. Coffee as the film's screenwriter, David Miller as director and suggested Elmer Bernstein as composer. She insisted on Charles Lang being hired as the film's cinematographer and personally cast Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame as her co-stars.
- GoofsWhen Junior brings Irene to her apartment and refuses to leave, she tries twice to close the door. Each time, a stagehand's hand can be seen reaching for the knob from out in the hall, a common practice on stage sets if a door doesn't latch properly or stay closed.
- Quotes
Myra Hudson: I was just wondering what I'd done to deserve you.
- Crazy creditsOne of the few films with an itemized credits listing for each wardrobe category designer.
- Alternate versionsThe previous 1999 DVD release was slightly altered. The sudden fear sequence eliminates only about eight seconds but noteworthy ones, showing Joan Crawford's falling from a building, and being smothered by the Jack Palance character. These have been restored in the new 2016 Cohen Media Group blu-ray release.
- ConnectionsEdited into Mrs. Harris (2005)
- SoundtracksAfraid
by Elmer Bernstein and Jack Brooks
Featured review
There are some very good features to this thriller that make up for its occasional flaws. Joan Crawford is very good in a role that gives her a chance to do a lot of different things, and the story builds up suspense effectively, to the point where you share in the anxiety and fear of her character. Those strengths make up for the implausible and occasionally unsatisfying plot turns.
Crawford's role gives her a chance to start off as a supremely confident, comfortable playwright, whose dream world is then transformed into a nightmare. She does quite a convincing job of taking her character through the joys, fears, and other turns that she experiences. It is largely thanks to her performance that the suspense build-up works especially well. By the time that the lengthy cat-and-mouse game in the last half of the movie begins, you are really thinking and feeling along with her. The crisis is built up skillfully, though again at the cost of some credibility.
This works very well the first time you see it. Watching it over again, it is easier to see through the less credible plot devices and other small flaws. But none of the flaws detract from Crawford's fine leading performance. Overall, it's a pretty good thriller and certainly well worth seeing once.
Crawford's role gives her a chance to start off as a supremely confident, comfortable playwright, whose dream world is then transformed into a nightmare. She does quite a convincing job of taking her character through the joys, fears, and other turns that she experiences. It is largely thanks to her performance that the suspense build-up works especially well. By the time that the lengthy cat-and-mouse game in the last half of the movie begins, you are really thinking and feeling along with her. The crisis is built up skillfully, though again at the cost of some credibility.
This works very well the first time you see it. Watching it over again, it is easier to see through the less credible plot devices and other small flaws. But none of the flaws detract from Crawford's fine leading performance. Overall, it's a pretty good thriller and certainly well worth seeing once.
- Snow Leopard
- Jan 13, 2003
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Miedo súbito
- Filming locations
- 2800 Scott Street, San Francisco, California, USA(Myra's residence)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $720,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $24,476
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,126
- Aug 14, 2016
- Gross worldwide
- $24,759
- Runtime1 hour 50 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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