Midnight Lace | |
---|---|
Original poster
|
|
Directed by | David Miller |
Produced by |
Ross Hunter Martin Melcher |
Written by |
Ivan Goff Ben Roberts Based on play Matilda Shouted Fire by Janet Green |
Starring |
Doris Day Rex Harrison John Gavin Myrna Loy |
Music by | Frank Skinner |
Cinematography | Russell Metty |
Edited by | Leon Barsha Russell F. Schoengarth |
Production
company |
Arwin Productions
|
Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date
|
|
Running time
|
103 minutes 108 minutes (TCM Print) |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Midnight Lace is a 1960 American Eastmancolor mystery thriller film directed by David Miller starring Doris Day and Rex Harrison. The screenplay by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts is based on the play Matilda Shouted Fire by Janet Green.
The film was remade as a television film by Universal Television for NBC in 1981.
Newlywed American heiress Kit Preston is living with her financier husband Tony on Grosvenor Square in London. Returning home in a dense fog, she is startled by an eerie, electronic-like voice threatening to kill her within the month. The voice calls her by name and torments her as she runs to escape. Tony tries to convince her she has been the victim of a practical joker and suggests they travel to Venice for the honeymoon they never had.
The next day, business matters force Tony to cancel a lunch date with Kit at the last minute. She shows him recent purchases, including a nightgown called "Midnight Lace" which interests Tony. As she returns home, a falling girder from the construction site adjacent to her building nearly hits Kit, but she is pushed to safety by contractor Brian Younger, who startles her when he addresses her by name. Inside she encounters Malcolm Stanley, her maid Nora's shiftless son, whose unctuous behavior annoys her.
Just after he leaves, Kit receives a call from the voice in the park, repeating his intention to kill her. Neighbor Peggy Thompson urges Tony to take Kit to Scotland Yard to discuss the situation. After questioning her, Inspector Byrnes tells Tony he suspects that Kit is merely a lonely wife in need of attention. Meanwhile, Kit's Aunt Bea arrives. When Kit tells her of the phone calls, they both put it down to "telephone talkers."