Considering its recognised status as one of the very earliest film noirs, it's remarkable how many characteristics of the classic style are featured in "I Wake Up Screaming" (aka "Hot Spot"). Themes including sexual obsession, betrayal and entrapment are very prominent and its big city setting, numerous flashbacks and witty dialogue are all used to great effect. A portrait of a beautiful woman is a standard noir motif which was due to become more frequently used in later years and the expressionistic cinematography in this movie is both aesthetically pleasing and incredibly effective in establishing the mood of the piece.
Well known New York City sports promoter Frankie Christopher (Victor Mature) is at a restaurant one night with actor Robin Ray (Alan Mowbray) and gossip columnist Larry Evans (Allyn Joslyn) who are both very impressed with good-looking waitress, Vicky Lynn (Carole Landis). Much to the amusement of his friends, Frankie claims that he could successfully promote Vicky and make her a star and soon starts to introduce her to some influential people. Vicky subsequently achieves some success as a model and one day announces to a surprised Frankie that she's had a screen test and is leaving for Hollywood without him. Shortly after this act of betrayal, Vicky is found dead and Frankie becomes the prime suspect.
Frankie is subjected to some aggressive questioning by a group of detectives in an interrogation room and one of them, Detective Inspector Ed Cornell (Laird Cregar), is especially menacing. He has a reputation for never losing a case and openly threatens Frankie with the electric chair (aka the hot spot). Due to a lack of hard evidence, Frankie is eventually released but although Vicky's sister Jill (Betty Grable), Frankie's friends (Ray and Evans) and a switchboard operator at Vicky's apartment house, Harry Williams (Elisha Cook Jr.) are all considered as suspects at various points in the investigation, Cornell continues to pursue Frankie relentlessly.
Jill and Frankie fall in love and soon realise that the only way they'll be able to have any future together will be if they can find the real killer. When the culprit is caught, however, further interesting revelations follow.
This movie is a visual treat with a whole series of clever compositions of light and shadow being used to enhance the atmosphere and two sequences are particularly impressive. Initially, the interrogation room which is bathed in darkness with the intense spotlight being pointed directly in Frankie's face emphasises how trapped this innocent man is and later, on the staircase in Vicky's apartment building, when he stands covered in a huge grid of shadow, it reinforces his status as a person who's been framed.
Ed Cornell is the character that makes the strongest impression in this movie as not only is he physically imposing but also, with his soft voice and creepy behaviour, everything he does seems so calculated and sinister. His habit of turning up in people's rooms unexpectedly is particularly disconcerting and he also puts psychological pressure on certain suspects by trying to get into their heads. Laird Cregar is ideally cast as Cornell and provides the film's standout performance. Victor Mature and Betty Grable also excel in their roles.
"I Wake Up Screaming" with its terrific pace, great one-liners and some neat twists, is extremely entertaining and a superb example of early noir.
Well known New York City sports promoter Frankie Christopher (Victor Mature) is at a restaurant one night with actor Robin Ray (Alan Mowbray) and gossip columnist Larry Evans (Allyn Joslyn) who are both very impressed with good-looking waitress, Vicky Lynn (Carole Landis). Much to the amusement of his friends, Frankie claims that he could successfully promote Vicky and make her a star and soon starts to introduce her to some influential people. Vicky subsequently achieves some success as a model and one day announces to a surprised Frankie that she's had a screen test and is leaving for Hollywood without him. Shortly after this act of betrayal, Vicky is found dead and Frankie becomes the prime suspect.
Frankie is subjected to some aggressive questioning by a group of detectives in an interrogation room and one of them, Detective Inspector Ed Cornell (Laird Cregar), is especially menacing. He has a reputation for never losing a case and openly threatens Frankie with the electric chair (aka the hot spot). Due to a lack of hard evidence, Frankie is eventually released but although Vicky's sister Jill (Betty Grable), Frankie's friends (Ray and Evans) and a switchboard operator at Vicky's apartment house, Harry Williams (Elisha Cook Jr.) are all considered as suspects at various points in the investigation, Cornell continues to pursue Frankie relentlessly.
Jill and Frankie fall in love and soon realise that the only way they'll be able to have any future together will be if they can find the real killer. When the culprit is caught, however, further interesting revelations follow.
This movie is a visual treat with a whole series of clever compositions of light and shadow being used to enhance the atmosphere and two sequences are particularly impressive. Initially, the interrogation room which is bathed in darkness with the intense spotlight being pointed directly in Frankie's face emphasises how trapped this innocent man is and later, on the staircase in Vicky's apartment building, when he stands covered in a huge grid of shadow, it reinforces his status as a person who's been framed.
Ed Cornell is the character that makes the strongest impression in this movie as not only is he physically imposing but also, with his soft voice and creepy behaviour, everything he does seems so calculated and sinister. His habit of turning up in people's rooms unexpectedly is particularly disconcerting and he also puts psychological pressure on certain suspects by trying to get into their heads. Laird Cregar is ideally cast as Cornell and provides the film's standout performance. Victor Mature and Betty Grable also excel in their roles.
"I Wake Up Screaming" with its terrific pace, great one-liners and some neat twists, is extremely entertaining and a superb example of early noir.