Doris Day Emotes Mightily in ‘Midnight Lace’ 1960

Doris Day is stalked by an unseen villain in 1960's suspense film "Midnight Lace."

Midnight Lace is one of those film perennials, the "woman in jeopardy" movie genre. Doris Day has made several, Julie, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Midnight Lace.

As far as Doris Day’s performance is concerned, Midnight Lace falls in the middle. Some critics and fans have raved over her performance, citing that Day should have been Oscar-nominated. Others have cited that her hysteria was over the top, like her turn as Julie. While Doris could have been reigned in a bit as the hysterical heiress, there are several striking scenes where Day is most effective.

In case you're wondering what the title of "Midnight Lace" means!
Doris dons this ensemble at a rather odd point in this 1960 thriller.

This is one of those movies where you turn off your brain and just enjoy the thrills. The story is filled with more red herrings than a smokehouse. Nearly every supporting character has a seemingly sinister moment that makes them a suspect. 

Some of the 1960 "modern" attitudes toward the crank caller feel more than archaic, even for the time. It's eye-rolling how the other characters, including the detective, who all seem to want to brush it off as a prank or the imagination of Day's Kit. My two hurdles with this film: Why does Kit hang on the line while she's being threatened and degraded, instead of just hanging up? It's over 30 minutes into this movie before the detective has the bright idea for the couple to get a new phone number. The other is the caller's voice, which we occasionally hear, that is high-pitched and disembodied. Unfortunately, it inspires hilarity instead of hysteria, since the voice sounds like Pee Wee Herman acting villainous!

Why doesn't Doris Day's tormented heroine just say, "Sorry, wrong number?"

Doris Day plays an heiress who has been married three months to a wealthy business man, Tony Preston (Rex Harrison). She seems to have no purpose but to shop and feel neglected, but is kind and pleasant. Tony's a hard working business man who is always begging off personal plans to take meetings. The contrived plot only has Kit picking up the phone when the crank caller rings. Kit also experiences various near-miss physical mishaps—construction beams crashing, elevators stalling, shoved in front of a bus, etc. By the last act of the film Doris' Kit is a movie diva mess.

It's worth nearly getting clobbered by a construction beam if you get to meet
John Gavin! Doris Day in 1960's "Midnight Lace."

Even the best of this genre can be contrived, and depend on a suspension of disbelief. Without giving away the story, the villain seems rather obvious, and the red herrings more than a bit fishy! It’s best to enjoy the excellent cast of pros, the atmosphere, and lavish settings. While not as cheesy as Ross Hunter's same year Portrait in Black, the story doesn't withstand scrutiny.

Doris Day & Rex Harrison play newlyweds whose bliss is being blown by a
threatening caller to the usually sunny Day, in 1960's "Midnight Lace."

Rex Harrison as the husband is smoothly professional, but it's hard to understand why Day's heiress would marry this man 15 years her senior, when he's not particularly attentive. And Day's reactions to her situation seem a bit naive for a woman nearly 40. Doris must once again be playing younger, as she's referenced that way a couple of times. Also sexist and eye-rolling is when Day's Auntie Mame-ish Myrna Loy makes a number of self-deprecating cracks about aging, when she's just three years older than Rex Harrison. So, what else is new in Hollywood?!

"Rex, if you're only 3 years younger than me, why am I getting all the 'old' lines?"

Myrna Loy plays Doris Day's aunt in 1960's suspense drama "Midnight Lace."

The same is true for Kit's neighbor friend Peg, played by Natasha Parry. She's 30ish and attractive in a Dana Wynter way. And who turns out to be her mostly off-camera sailor husband? Anthony Dawson, also 15 years older, who looks like Trevor Howard's corpse!

Anthony Dawson plays much-talked about, seldom-seen neighbor Peg's sailor hubby.
Odd couple, since she is played by lovely Natasha Parry, in "Midnight Lace."

On the other hand, there's John Gavin, at the height of his hunkiness as the construction manager next door. He's also rather dull, like a male Kim Novak.

John Gavin's construction manager seems taken with Doris Day's harried heiress
in 1960's thriller "Midnight Lace."

And what would a Britain-set mystery be without a pipe smoking detective played by John Williams? At 70, Herbert Marshall seems feeble as a business associate with spending issues, and who would die six years later. Roddy McDowall is once again the unctuous underling who oozes smarmy charm and snide threats. Hermione Baddeley plays the gabby pub maid, of course! There are many familiar faces in this film, which makes it more fun to watch.

John Williams as the British detective with the pipe, natch, in "Midnight Lace."

Doris Day gets the beauty treatment by Ross Hunter's fave cinematographer Russell Metty. Day's costumes, always a star in her movies from Pillow Talk on, are by Irene, one of the more subtle designers in Hollywood. Day’s clothes look sleek and classy. And the hats? Well, they are a product of their time.

There's some location shooting in London, but this hothouse thriller was filmed at Universal. David Miller, a solid studio director, does the best he can with the material.

This scene has a Hitchcock quality, where the blonde heroine senses imminent danger.
Doris Day as the heiress in distress, in 1960's "Midnight Lace."

As for Day, she resisted this role after Julie caused her great stress. But her producer husband Martin Melcher persisted. Day used her trauma from a physically abusive first marriage for her hysteria scenes. While some feel over the top, like the elevator scene where she has a moment that rivals “I’ll have what she’s having” from When Harry Met Sally, the rest feel realistic, like her final meltdown on the staircase. Some critics have accused her of being shrill, like Elizabeth Taylor in some of her more emotional roles. My thought: Is anger or hysteria supposed to sound pretty?

Is Doris Day's heiress off her beam or is she being harassed? Watch "Midnight Lace!"

Doris Day was a pro, but didn't enjoy this type of role, and never did again. Perhaps her fans agreed. While this film was moderately successful, Day's comedies before and after did far better at the box office. Still, Midnight Lace is mindlessly entertaining popcorn movie, and a glam treat for Day fans.

Here’s my tribute essay to Doris Day here: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/04/a-latter-day-doris-day-fan-fesses-up.html

Doris Day unnerved but unbowed, in the final moment of 1960's "Midnight Lace."