Don't Bother to Knock (1952)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Written by Daniel Taradash, based on the novel by Charlotte Armstrong
Directed by Roy Baker
Starring Richard Widmark, Anne Bancroft, Donna Corcoran, and Marilyn Monroe

Features:

• stills gallery
  
• theatrical trailer
  
• restoration comparison
  
• English and Spanish subtitles
  

Rating: NR

Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 format.

My Advice: Rent it.

The Diamond Collection showcases Marilyn Monroe's prodigious acting talents and versatility. In Don't Bother to Knock, we have a rare role for Monroe--darkly insane and dangerous.

The plot of Don't Bother to Knock is pleasingly noir: Monroe plays Nell, recently arrived at a luxury hotel where her uncle, the bellhop, finds her work as a babysitter. Something does not seem quite right with her, and veiled references are made to her recent release from a mental hospital. All goes well enough until a stranger (Widmark, recently dumped by true love Bancroft) sees Monroe through a window, likes what he sees and phones her room to speak to her. Arriving at her door, he begins a sort of flirtation with her that doesn't go exactly as he had planned. Caught in the middle is Bunny, the little girl left in the hands of Monroe.

The problem with the film is that it isn't quite as sinister or dark as the score wants it to be. Monroe, in her first starring role, is wonderfully convincing as the mad babysitter, but not really very scary or creepy, just kind of pathetic and tragic. The parents never quite manage to be worried enough about leaving their child with a complete stranger (who already looks none too stable), even one recommended by the hotel staff. The best moments are between Widmark and Bancroft in the hotel bar, where Bancroft works as a lounge singer. The problem isn't with the acting, but that the stars aren't really given much to do.

The restored picture looks wonderful, allowing Monroe and Bancroft to shine across the screen. The sound is also good, allowing Monroe's child-like tremor to convey the repressed madness she's trying to hide, as well as the jitters Widmark suffers as he realizes his mark isn't quite the lonely bombshell he thought she was.

Don't Bother to Knock serves as a good noir thriller, as well as a cautionary tale about trying to pick up strange blondes in hotels. Too bad there's not more "thrill" in this thriller; it could have been much more interesting than it is, especially given the solid performances turned in by the stars. Had this film traded in some of the glamour for real tension, it could have been a classic of the noir genre.