IMDb on iPhone and iPod touch Learn more Learn more Download from the App Store
IMDb > Fear in the Night (1947)

Fear in the Night (1947) More at IMDbPro »

Videos
Fear in the Night (1947) -- A man dreams he committed murder, then begins to suspect it was real.

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   288 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 17% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Cornell Woolrich (story)
Maxwell Shane (written for the screen by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Fear in the Night on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 April 1947 (USA) more
Tagline:
Can a man commit MURDER in a dream?...Here is the spine-tingling, blood-freezing answer...different from any mystery you've ever seen!... more
Plot:
A man dreams he committed murder, then begins to suspect it was real. full summary | full synopsis
User Comments:
Not Very Plausible more (15 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Paul Kelly ... Cliff Herlihy

DeForest Kelley ... Vince Grayson
Ann Doran ... Lil Herlihy
Kay Scott ... Betty Winters
Charles Victor ... Captain Warner
Robert Emmett Keane ... Lewis Belknap, aka Harry Byrd
Jeff York ... Deputy Torrence (as Jeff Yorke)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joey Ray ... Contractor (scenes deleted)
Loyette Thomson ... Waitress (scenes deleted)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
72 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
UK:12 (DVD rating) (2005) | UK:A (original rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:(Banned) (1949) | USA:Approved (PCA #11856, General Audience) | Sweden:15
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Feature film debut of DeForest Kelley. more
Goofs:
Continuity: It is daytime when Vince Grayson (DeForrest Kelly) is about to jump out of his window. When his brother in law goes to save him-it is nighttime. When he is pulled back into the window-it is daytime again more
Quotes:
Vince Grayson: I've got an honest man's conscience... in a murderer's body. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Carolina (2003/I) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
0 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
Not Very Plausible, 27 April 2007
6/10
Author: Hitchcoc from United States

On Star Trek and other sci fi fare, a staple is the mind that is taken over by alien forces. Here we have Dr. McCoy, Deforest Kelley, waking up one morning with blood on his hands and finger marks on his throat. In a dream, he has killed someone and is immediately convinced that he had, indeed, done the act. The first weakness of this is that he buys into it in about two minutes. Shouldn't there have been a period of sorting things out? I have no trouble with the conclusion, only the speed with which he leaps to it. He pushes everyone away and becomes a neurotic mess. As usual, he pushes everyone away who tries to help him. Again, a bit of restraint and unfolding would have been nice. Eventually he searches for and find the cause of his troubles. Lucky for him, his brother in law, a straight cop, is willing to look into things. It isn't easy, because our guy seems like a likely suspect. The brother in law doesn't believe him and gives him an ultimatum to turn himself in. If I go much farther, I will provide spoilers. My gripe with this film has to do with the science involved and the plot. Hypnosis really wasn't understood very well in these days, but there is something about what's going on here that a contemporary audience wouldn't accept. It's just too easy to pick apart at the character and the plot level.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (15 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Fear in the Night (1947)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Spider Returns Shadow of a Doubt Mulholland Dr. Minority Report The Bad Seed
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Film-Noir section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.