I Wake Up Dreaming Night 4

Due to my having an interview at one of the Bay Area's fine universities (keep those fingers crossed for a hire), I wasn't able to make the August 27th showing of I Wake Up Dreaming. However, I did watch one of the featured films that was available on Netflix.

This was a rather good film, but it definitely had a strong resemblance to another film released that same year. None other than Alfred Hitchcock's (and my all time favorite Hitch film) Rear Window. As a consequence, this film noir probably didn't receive the accolades it deserves.

Just like James Stewart's character, Jeffries.

As in most films noir, there is no slow build up to the action. It happens right away as Barbara Stanwyck (Cheryl) wakes to shut her windows on a windy night only to witness a murder in progress. Before the police arrive to investigate, the murderer hides the body and later convinces the police that he had been in bed all night. The police return to Cheryl's apartment and convince her that what she witnessed was in fact a dream. The rest of the film is her convincing the authorities that she is telling the truth all the while being told that she could be experiencing some type of psychosis. The irony is that the police believe and accept the word of an ex-Nazi over an upstanding citizen.

Witness has a good storyline but I can't help but be peeved with the belief that women's intuition is nothing but a myth (also a similarity found in Rear Window) and no matter how intelligent and independent a woman is, it only takes the word of a man to discredit her. Of course, the film is expressing a hard truth. Even today, men can be intimidated by independent women. But this type of storytelling fits noir style:

• Urban Location - Los Angeles
• Investigators  and Sleuths
• Alienation
• Murder

Witness to Murder  has all the technical elements of a film noir. The cinematography is outstanding with its:

Chiaroscuro

Deep Focus, Imbalanced

Strong Diagonals

Smoking and Extreme Close-ups

High Angles

Despite its status as a B-movie, had Rear Window not been released within weeks of this film's opening, it may have done better especially with Barbara Stanwyck's incredible acting.

Next Thursday is the final night of the I Wake Up Dreaming noir festival. Unfortunately, I will not be in attendance since it is Labor Day Weekend, and I will be in Los Angeles for the Camp Hollywood Swing Dance festival. The festival's selections were enjoyable and I look forward to next year's showcase.