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Sudden Fear

Joan Crawford (Actor), Jack Palance (Actor), David Miller (Director) Rated:
Unrated
Format: DVD
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 108 ratings
IMDb7.5/10.0
$22.79
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DVD
September 2, 2003 		—
1
$22.79
$63.99 $11.00
Genre Mystery & Thrillers
Format Multiple Formats, Black & White, NTSC
Contributor Bess Flowers, Gloria Grahame, Bruce Bennett, Virginia Huston, Estelle Etterre, Robert Smith, Jack Palance, David Miller, Joan Crawford, Selmer Jackson, Harold Miller, Lenore J. Coffee, Taylor Holmes, Edna Sherry, Mike Connors, Lewis Martin See more
Language English
Runtime 1 hour and 50 minutes
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Product Description

Product Description

Joan Crawford turns in one of the most emotionally charged performances of her career as a playwright who must use her plotting skills to save her own life, in this beautifully crafted film noir thriller. Nominated for four Academy Awards, "Sudden Fear" is an unbeatable combination of lush melodrama and drop-dead suspense.

Amazon.com

Sudden Fear is one of those noir gems about a love-hate relationship between a husband and wife that's doomed from the very beginning. Jack Palance plays an ambitious actor rebuffed by playwright and heiress Joan Crawford. He later romances and marries her before falling under the dark spell of ex-girlfriend Gloria Grahame. When Palance and Grahame plot to get her fortune, the evil scheme backfires with ironically twisted results. Palance has no idea how much his wife truly loves him, and she has no idea how sinister he truly is. It's a fascinating if contrived film, with wonderful nuances and sensitive performances by the three leads. --Bill Desowitz

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ Unrated (Not Rated)
  • Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches; 3.2 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ David Miller
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, Black & White, NTSC
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 50 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ September 2, 2003
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Joan Crawford, Jack Palance, Gloria Grahame, Bruce Bennett, Virginia Huston
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Kino Video
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00000IPHP
  • Writers ‏ : ‎ Edna Sherry, Lenore J. Coffee, Robert Smith
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 108 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
108 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Joker
5.0 out of 5 stars Dark suspense thriller
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2012
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For a description of the plot, etc., read other reviews. Just some thoughts on this classic...

Sudden Fear (1952) is Joan Crawford at her best. The movie is edge-of-your-seat suspenseful with great cinematography. Darkness and shadows are used to full effect to create a dark tone to the movie. It's classic film noir. The movie reminds me of some of Hitchcock's black and white suspense thrillers. Jack Palance also turns in a great performance as Crawford's husband who has a sinister plot brewing. Gloria Grahame also does well in her role as "the other woman". Crawford was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in a leading role and Jack Palance was nominated for his supporting role. If you want to see Palance in one of his best villainous roles, then see this movie. There are some great shots of San Francisco throughout the movie and the night scenes are particularly good. This is definitely one of the best Joan Crawford movies, yet so many people have never even heard of it.

A lot of people complain about the DVD print being sub par, both the picture and sound quality. I think it's nit picking on the part of a lot of people. It's a 60 + year old movie, so it's not going to have an absolutely crystal clear picture and sound. Can it be cleaned up? Maybe, but it's not an absolute certainty. Some films can be restored and some can't. We'll leave it up to the experts.
5 people found this helpful
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Midwest Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars This film made me a Joan Crawford fan
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2013
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Joan Crawford was an actress a generation before mine, and I knew little about her except for some 1960s films like "I Saw What You Did", or the abysmal "Trog". When the "Mommie Dearest" Faye Dunaway film portrayal later appeared, it formed an impression of Crawford as an eccentric who abused her adopted children. I held that image for decades and had no interest in her films.

Then around 2000, I saw "Sudden Fear" on TCM. I was floored by her talent as an actress. The latter part of this film, after she discovers the plot against her, and especially in the streets after her bad husband tries to run her down, is stunning. The scene of her walking with tears in her eyes tore me apart. I could not get the scene out of my mind. Then I discovered another great film, "Johnny Guitar", then "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane," and even appreciated lower budget films such as "Strait-Jacket". The list goes on and on. Over the past decade, I have concluded that Joan Crawford is my all-time favorite actress. She was a STAR, a movie star of the highest caliber and no modern actor or actress has either the ability or presence that she has on film.

I am satisfied with the video and audio portion of the 60 year old film on the DVD. Kino typically presents the best images available and works to improve what they have too. I do think the price for the DVD is way too high, though.
6 people found this helpful
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JGC
5.0 out of 5 stars Joan's Oscar-Nominated Role!
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2005
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This movie is one of Joan's best films. She made it in the 50's during a slow time in her career after "Mildred Pierce". This was sort of Joan's come-back picture of the 50's. And boy did Joan know how to come back with a vengeance!

Joan plays Myra Hudson (I wonder if she's related to Blanche Hudson?) a successful (and rich) playwright. Myra is re-introduced (she recently fired Lester as lead-actor from her previous Broadway play) to Lester Blaine (played by the very handsome Jack Palance) on a train trip back to her home, from NY.

Myra and Jack soon fall in love and quickly marry. Their marriage seems perfect. Joan's character is an older, successful, beautiful, and highly intelligent women. And Lester wasn't at all intimidated Myra's successes.

...In fact Lester welcomes her success and her money. He soon meets up with his former flame, Irene Neves (played by Gloria Grahame). Irene and Lester plot to murder Myra so they can run away with all of her money.

Myra inadvertently learns of their deceitful plot and thus the title "Sudden Fear" is born! It's now a race against time to see if Myra can sidestep the murder plot.

Joan is absolutely devastatingly beautiful in this picture, and she had such a graceful and elegant presence that always took center stage in this picture. This movie is a must-see for any Joan Crawford fan. I have seen all of her movies and this is right up there with the very best films she made during the 30's & 40's.
72 people found this helpful
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Bernadette Koontz
5.0 out of 5 stars A Crawford Gem
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2014
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Aptly titled, this gripping film noir thriller was worth every penny with a very interesting clever ending. It is one of Joan Crawford's better films. A very young Jack Palance does a very good job of playing a charming but deceitful actor/suitor (Lester Bain) on the make with murder on his mind. He skillfully woos wealthy playwright Crawford (Myra Hudson) on a long train ride from New York to San Francisco despite being fired from her play at her request. Myra falls hard for Lester, marries him, but accidentally learns from a dictation recording of his treacherous murderous plans plotted with an old mercenary girlfriend played by Gloria Graham. In typical film noir melodramatic fashion, Myra imagines the many different ways the two try to kill her. Though broken-hearted to learn that her love and trust were misplaced, Myra manages to overcome her "sudden fear" of her husband. The dialogue at this point in the film is interesting as she uses her writer's mind to outwit her husband - but she reneges at the last minute. Yet fate has other plans. What's interesting about this movie, in contrast to modern day films, is the twang of conscience which makes these noir films so appealing. This film is a rare gem, definitely worth watching and having in your collection.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Ermelindo Vital
5.0 out of 5 stars Comprei pela maravilhosa capa pelo seu grafismo
Reviewed in Spain on May 6, 2023
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Já tinha em blu-ray da Contracorriente edição com imagem e áudio espetacular mas insatisfeito com o grafismo dessa. Gastei na edição da Kino apesar de fraca a nível da imagem por amar desde sempre esta cover..por mim este é o melhor filme noir de sempre e o.melhor desempenho dela
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RogShop
5.0 out of 5 stars JOAN CRAWFORD AT HER BEST
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2016
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Forget Mildred Pierce THIS is probably Joan Crawford's finest moment (leaving "Baby Jane" to one side of course). Myra Hudson, a wealthy socialite playwrite is wooed and won by Jack Palance's oh so sincere actor (whom she has had fired from her new play) but there's trouble in paradise as her new husband actually has designs on her money rather than her, and with his ex- girlfriend, a movie stealing Gloria Graham plots to do away with her in an acciental death. Myra stumbles upon a recording of the two lovers and their plans for her demise so calls upon her playwriting skills to devise a very clever plot to turn the tables on them, Kill Lester (Palance) and frame Gloria for the crime.

This Region 1 DVD is probably the best picture quality available (DO NOT BUY THE UK VERSION ITS TERRIBLE) until a Blu Ray version is released. Its a touch grainy but the blcak and white picture id detailed and for the most part very watchable
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martin kemp
5.0 out of 5 stars Film Noir best
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2010
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one of the finest Film Noir made, tension builds through terrific performances by the cast mainly centering around Joan Crawford, Jack Palance and the grossly underrated Gloria Grahame. Needless to say Joan is being harangued by hubby JP who's trying to bump her off for her lolly, GG the floozie who's keen on both ex boyfriend Jack - and Joans lolly. Lots of double bluffing, hiding in cupboards, guns etc great stuff. One for a late night wet evening.
3 people found this helpful
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Matthew Hazelgrove
5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best films I have ever seen
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 14, 2016
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What can I say, one of the best films I have ever seen. Jack Palance is absolutely brilliant and Gloria Grahame who is one of my favorite actresses is outstanding as usual. Edge of the seat viewing to the very end. Fabulous film.
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spider-ham
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Film - Not So Great Quality...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2014
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It doesn't get much better than this fantastic suspenser. Very Hitchcock in style but every bit as good. Quality of the DVD could be better though. Lets see this remastered on blu ray please !
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