Vicki

"Vicki" is the second film adaptation of Steve Fisher's novel "I Wake Up Screaming". The first was an A-list film made 12 years earlier, released in 1942, that retained the novel's title. 1942's "I Wake Up Screaming" starred Victor Mature as Vicki's publicity man Frankie Christopher and featured Betty Grable in her first non-musical role as Jil Lynn. 1953's "Vicki" is a moderately budgeted affair without high-power stars. It is perhaps marginally film noir but bland overall. "Vicki" has a more extensive flashback structure than the 1942 film, which awkwardly overloads the first part of the film. That is not from the book, and Dwight Taylor is credited as screenwriter on both movies. "Vicki" seems to have been adapted from the earlier film rather than from Fisher's novel.

When famous model Vicki Lynn (Jean Peters) is found murdered in her New York apartment, gruff police detective Ed Cornell (Richard Boone) insists on taking the case. Miss Lynn left a string of admirers and sponsors high and dry when she decided to try her luck in Hollywood, so there is no shortage of suspects: Her jilted boyfriend, actor Robin Ray (Alex D'Arcy). Society columnist Larry Evans (Casey Adams), who made her the toast of the town. And publicity man Steve Christopher (Elliot Reid), who engineered Vicki's rapid rise to the darling of café society. But detective Cornell decides that Christopher is the guilty party and obsessively harasses the man, even badgering Vicki's sympathetic sister Jill (Jeanne Craine), who doubts Christopher's guilt.

"Vicki" is not a bad film, but it suffers by comparison to its predecessor. It lacks the stars' charisma of "I Wake Up Screaming" as well that film's menacing tone and psychosexual subtext. The villain, Ed Cornell, is more pathetic in "Vicki" than in "I Wake Up Screaming". Perhaps that is more realistic, but the character doesn't inspire the fear that Laird Cregar's chilling interpretation did in 1942. Still, Richard Boone's performance is the best in the film. But this isn't the ideal context for an aging, obsessed, pathetic loser cop. Cornell often refers to Christopher as "pretty boy", which is puzzling given Elliot Reid's hum-drum appearance. Christopher is a slick publicity man. He should at least be a sharp dresser. Elliot Reid's performance is as benign as his wardrobe. Harry Horner was probably the wrong director for this material.

Themes and characters are watered down in "Vicki". But comparing the women in 1942's "I Wake Up Screaming" and 1953's "Vicki" gets interesting. In "I Wake Up Screaming", Vicki is the older, worldly sister. She's selfish and ambitious, but sharp. Jill is younger, wholesome, and more cautious. But she's no shrinking violet. Both women know their own minds and neither is easily intimidated. In "Vicki", Jill is the older, wiser, very maternal sister. Vicki is young, ambitious, impetuous, but also shallow and naive. "I Wake Up Screaming" reflects the feminine ideal of the 1940s: smart, utilitarian, and confident. Jill is a helper-heroine whom Christopher needs to regain control of his life. "Vicki" reflects the post-war ideal of women: Young and silly or older and maternal but, either way, frightened and driven by emotions. Jill is a love interest in "Vicki", not a partner.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2006): Bonus features include a theatrical trailer (2 min), Still Galleries, and an audio commentary by film noir historian and author Foster Hirsch. The 3 Stills Galleries are: Advertising (12 b&w images), Behind-the-Scenes (10 b&w photos), and a 16-page Interactive Pressbook. You can zoom in on pictures or articles to read them. In his audio commentary, Foster Hirsch discusses the actors, the contrast between flat lighting and low-key "noir" lighting (what little there is of it) in the film, and takes us through the story. Hirsch also critiques "Vicki" in comparison to 1942's "I Wake Up Screaming". He doesn't hold "Vicki" in very high esteem, for some of the same and some different reasons that I don't. Subtitles for the film are available in English and Spanish.

In a nutshell, this remake of "I Wake Up Screaming" doesn't work whether you saw the original or this is your first time exposed to the story. The film is saddled with a blah cast and uninspired direction. The film's lone redeeming point is Richard Boone's account of dogged police detective Ed Cornell. Alas, that even suffers when compared to the masterful turn by Laird Cregar in "Screaming". This is by no means a bad film just an ordinary one. If it popped up on TCM you probably wouldn't be inclined to change the channel.

This movie deserves a watching. Basically it is a remke of the better "I Wake Up Screaming." Richard Boone is very good as the cop after a murderer. Jean Peters and Carl Betz are also very good. Look for Aaron Spelling in the movie. The twist at the end make this one worthwhile.

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