''The Shrike'' is a 1955 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

based on Joseph Kramm's play of the same name.

José Ferrer José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón (January 8, 1912 – January 26, 1992) was a Puerto Rican actor and director of stage, film and television. He was one of the most celebrated and esteemed Hispanic American actors during his lifetime, ...

directed and starred in

Ketti Frings Ketti Frings (28 February 1909 – 11 February 1981) was an American writer, playwright, and screenwriter who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1958. Biography Early years Born Katherine Hartley in Columbus, Ohio, Frings attended Principia College, began ...

' screenplay adaptation.

Plot

Successful stage director Jim Downs (Ferrer) is driven to a mental breakdown by his domineering wife Ann (

June Allyson June Allyson (born Eleanor Geisman; October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was an American stage, film, and television actress, dancer, and singer. Allyson began her career in 1937 as a dancer in short subject films and on Broadway in 1938. She sig ...

). Institutionalized, he confides in Dr. Bellman (Kendall Clark) and Dr. Barrow ( Isabel Bonner), and he finds a kindred spirit in Charlotte Moore ( Joy Page).

Cast

as Jim Downs *

as Ann Downs * Joy Page as Charlotte Moore * Kendall Clark as Dr. Bellman * Isabel Bonner as Dr. Barrow * Will Kuluva as Ankoritis * Joe Comadore as Major * Billy M. Greene as Schloss *

Leigh Whipper Leigh Rollin Whipper (October 29, 1876 – July 26, 1975) was an American actor on the stage and in motion pictures. He was the first African American to join the Actors' Equity Association, and one of the founders of the Negro Actors Guild of ...

as Mr. Carlisle *

Richard Benedict Richard "Pepe" Benedict (born Riccardo Benedetto, January 8, 1920 – April 25, 1984) was an Italian-American television and film actor and director. He was born in Palermo, Italy. He appeared in dozens of television programs and movies from t ...

as Gregory * Mary Bell as Miss Wingate * Martin Newman as Carlos O'Brien * Herbie Faye as Tager * Somer Alberg as Dr. Schlesinger * Jay Barney as Dr. Kramer *

Edward C. Platt Edward Cuthbert Platt (February 14, 1916 – March 19, 1974) was an American actor best known for his portrayal of the Chief in the 1965–70 NBC/ CBS television series: '' Get Smart''. With his deep voice and mature appearance, he played ...

as Harry Downs * Fay Morley as Jennifer Logan * Jacqueline de Wit as Katharine Meade ;Uncredited (in order of appearance) * Adrienne Marden as Miss Raymond * Douglas Henderson as Burt Fielding *

Helen Beverly Helen Beverley (November 9, 1916 – July 15, 2011) was an American film and stage actress, who began her career in Yiddish theater and films. She was sometimes credited as Helen Beverly. Early life Beverley was born in Boston, Massachusetts, ...

as Miss Thatcher *

Shawn Smith Shawn Smith may refer to: *Shirley Patterson (1922 – 1995), a Canadian-born actress also known as Shawn Smith * Shawn Smith (musician) (1965 – 2019), American singer, songwriter, and musician *Shawn Smith (American football), a National Foot ...

as Celia Johns * Joanne Jordan as Miss Cardell *

Stafford Repp Stafford Alois Repp (April 26, 1918November 5, 1974) was an American actor best known for his role as Police Chief Miles Clancy O'Hara on ABC's ''Batman'' television series. Career Soon after the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, he ser ...

as Fleming * Nancy Kulp as Mrs. Colman * Dennis Moore as Spectator * Tom Wilson as Actor in play * Pauline Moore as Author's wife *

Kenneth Drake Ken Drake (November 20, 1921 - January 30, 1987) was an American actor. He appeared in numerous films and TV series from the 1950s to the 1970s. Biography Drake was born in Eufaula, Oklahoma, in 1921. After serving in the Navy and Marines durin ...

as Author * Nicky Blair as Patient * Sara Seegar as Mrs. Cory *

John Farrow John Villiers Farrow, KGCHS (10 February 190427 January 1963) was an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Spending a considerable amount of his career in the United States, in 1942 he was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

as Englishman * Jean Fenwick as Mrs. Ellison

Production

In 1952 Ferrer announced Hal Wallis and Bill Pearlberg were both interested in filming the play. Ferrer spent two years developing the script with Ketti Frings. For a time it seemed he might make it at RKO. In March 1953 Ferrer announced he had purchased the film rights himself. He had discussions with Columbia. Then in February 1954 Ferrer signed a deal with Universal to finance. "I'm terribly grateful to have been given the opportunity to star and direct", said Ferrer. In April 1954 it was announced June Allyson would star alongside Ferrer. Allyson had never played this type of role before. "I was fed to the teeth being sweet", she said. Filming started in September 1954. Much of the film was shot on location at

Bellevue Hospital Bellevue Hospital (officially NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and formerly known as Bellevue Hospital Center) is a hospital in New York City and the oldest public hospital in the United States. One of the largest hospitals in the United States b ...

and around

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

in New York City. Ferrer had the film scheduled so the cast would rehearse, then shoot, then filming would stop while the cast would rehearse again, then shoot again. Frings was on set the whole time to assist Ferrer's direction. The music score was by

Frank Skinner Christopher Graham Collins (born 28 January 1957), professionally known as Frank Skinner, is an English comedian, actor, presenter and writer. At the 2001 British Comedy Awards, he was named Best Comedy Entertainment Personality. His televisi ...

. Ferrer composed "Conversation (The Shrike)", recorded by

Pete Rugolo Pietro "Pete" Rugolo (December 25, 1915 – October 16, 2011) was an American jazz composer, arranger and record producer. Life and career Rugolo was born in San Piero Patti, Sicily. His family emigrated to the United States in 1920 and settl ...

on his 1955 album ''New Sounds'' (Harmony HL7003). The opening title sequence was created by

Saul Bass Saul Bass (; May 8, 1920 – April 25, 1996) was an American graphic designer and Oscar-winning filmmaker, best known for his design of motion-picture title sequences, film posters, and corporate logos. During his 40-year career, Bass wor ...

Reception

Reviewing for ''The New York Times'', A. H. Weiler wrote: :José Ferrer, the director and star of the play, again is portraying the Broadway director who struggles to be released from the confines of the psychiatric ward even though it means a return to a hateful marriage. And, in making his debut as a film director, Mr. Ferrer proves that he is as expert behind the camera as he is across the footlights. Since he obviously is no stranger to his source material, his performance is at once polished, powerful and moving. And many of his principals, who are re-enacting the roles they created on stage, forcefully enhance the stark vista of life in a mental ward... As our sorely beset hero relates in flashback to probing psychiatrists, it was a happy union at first, full of love and companionship. It deteriorated slowly but inexorably, as did his career, when her insatiable yearning for the life of an actress and her meddling in his affairs reached a point of no return... Backstage and hospital sequences have a documentary authenticity heightened in effect by Mr. Ferrer's portrayal. His scenes in the nightmarish world of the mental ward and his climactic session with the psychiatrists as he tearfully and desperately agrees to return to his wife, is acting of a rare order... Although ''The Shrike'' has changed its tune it still is an unusual and immensely interesting film drama. Allyson later said her husband

Dick Powell Richard Ewing Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American actor, musician, producer, director, and studio head. Though he came to stardom as a musical comedy performer, he showed versatility, and successfully transformed into ...

and all her advisers opposed her making the movie:

But it was a challenge I could not resist. For years I had been the Perfect... And now..., I would be far from the perfect wife. I would indeed be a monster of a wife, one of the least attractive in the history of the theater. As it turned out, the picture was a wonderful flop, but I do not regret deciding to play the vixen, Ann Downs. Other than my personal satisfaction in making my own decision, ''The Shrike'' was fun, and I even dreamed vaguely of an Academy Award.

References

Sources

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shrike, The 1955 films 1955 drama films American black-and-white films American drama films American films based on plays 1950s English-language films Films directed by José Ferrer Films scored by Frank Skinner Films set in New York City Films set in psychiatric hospitals Films shot in New York City Films with screenplays by Ketti Frings Universal Pictures films 1950s American films