Marilyn Monroe is considered an iconic representation of the Hollywood female star. Her looks still inspire millions who adore her. Her breathless dialogue is mimicked to the point it is recognizable. The term glamour is still associated with her. But few look back further than those major performances she left for us to view. Not so with the release of DON’T BOTHER TO KNOCK.
This is Monroe’s first major role, the first film where she
had a lead worth noting. She certainly had starring roles in previous films but
this was the first to place her center stage in the lead role. Film historians
consider her performance here one to back up the claim that she was a talent
that deserved more than she received.
Monroe stars as Nell Forbes, a young woman whose uncle Eddie
(Elisha Cook Jr.) works as an elevator operator in a posh New York City hotel.
Peter and Ruth Jones’ (Jim Backus and Lurene Tuttle) are in town for him to
receive an award at a dinner in the hotel that night and have brought along
their young daughter Bunny (Donna Corcoran). Eddie has assured them that Nell
is the perfect woman for the job and soon they’re introduced and the pair go
off to their dinner.
While this is transpiring we also meet Jed Towers (Richard
Widmark) and Lyn Lesley (Anne Bancroft). Lyn is a singer in the lounge at the
same hotel and has just broken off her relationship with Jed, a man who comes
to town periodically but offers her no hope of a future together. Feeling that
Jed has no sense of emotion deep inside Lyn tells him her issues and he leaves,
going up to his room.
That room is right across the way from the room Nell is in.
Looking across the way Jed sees her. Nell has now displayed a different side of
herself to us the viewers. She begins by eating chocolates the Jones’ have left
behind. She puts on a nightgown of Ruth’s as well as stocking and her jewelry.
Jed assumes she’s in her room and calls her to flirt, eventually getting
himself an invite to come over.
This rebound date for Jed turns out to be more than he expected.
While things seem to move along smoothly at first he soon learns the truth
about Nell. At the same time we begin to learn more about her as well,
including the fact that she lost the love of her life and has attempted
suicide. The question rises what will she do here in this situation? Is Bunny
safe in her care? Will she do harm to Jed?
The movie move along at a steady pace and holds your
interest from start to finish. I wasn’t sure in reading the synopsis that this
would be the case or not. Fortunately it does so and does it well. Even better
than that we’re presented with two main characters that we have no reason to
sympathize with, two characters that at first seem to earn our disdain only to
learn, as they do, that there is more going on beneath their shells than we
expected.
I’ve never been a fan of Monroe and honestly this film
didn’t make me one. I’ve always found her breathless way of speaking to be
annoying and it can be that way at times here in this film. But she does hold
her own and shows a certain amount of allure that would go on to make her a
huge success. Widmark by this time had already made his mark as a star. He
could have hogged the camera for himself but his performance here shows he was
willing to provide an assist to someone new, both in Monroe and Bancroft’s
performances. Bancroft’s role here isn’t at the heart of things but she does
provide a character that helps to bring out the best in Widmark’s.
Twilight Time is releasing the film as they do with all of
their titles, in a great looking hi def 1080p presentation and limiting the
release to just 3,000 copies. This time around they’ve included several great
extras to be enjoyed including an isolated music track, a featurette called
MARILYN MONROE: THE MORTAL GODDESS, another featurette RICHARD WIDMARK:
STRENGTH OF CHARACTERS and the original theatrical trailer. If you’re a Monroe
or Widmark fan make sure you order this today. With limited copies available
they could be gone soon.
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