Shock

Vincent Price is one of those actors who can compel me to watch a movie just by being in it. I probably like as many if not more Boris Karloff movies, but when I think of horror movie icons Price is the first one that comes to my mind.

When I got Shock I actually thought it was a completely different movie, one that I had seen when I was younger but never got to see in its entirety. Turns out Shock was one I'd never heard of before so in a way I'm glad I was mistaken as it lead me to see something I might have otherwise overlooked.

This one is about Janet, a young woman who has just found out the husband she thought was dead is actually fine and coming home from the war. As she waits for him in a hotel room, frantic because he should have been there by now, she witnesses a gruesome scene through the window across the way. A man and his wife are fighting culminating in her murder.

Already mentally fragile from all the stress over her husband, Janet's mind can't handle the sight of the murder and settles into a state of shock. The physician examining her suggests Dr. Cross, a neurological specialist who just happens to be staying in the hotel at that very moment.

If you guessed Dr. Cross would be the murdering husband you're doing well. To hide his crime he takes Janet into his care. A fortunate incident at the hospital makes it easy to convince everyone that Janet's jabber about witnessing a murder is just a delusion brought on by her shock, but Janet's husband will not give up on her. Can he save her or will Dr. Cross be able to hide his crime?

It's a tale of suspense befitting of something Alfred Hitchcock might do. It's not quite as well written as a lot of what he did, but it's still an intriguing tale that is perfect for a young Price. He delivers every bit of the performance that I expected even though the movies I love him for the most wouldn't be made until over 10 years later.

Anabel Shaw turns in a nice performance as Janet. I often find something lacking in these old horror movie damsel in distress roles. Even though someone going into a catatonic state over witnessing someone getting hit over the head is hard to swallow, Anabel helps with her limp, glassy-eyed stare and confused hysterics later on.

Lynn Bari as Dr. Cross's lover is not quite as believable. The idea is that she wants to be with Cross so badly that nothing else matters, but she seems to be awfully sociopathic for someone who has made a life helping people as a nurse up to this point. As far as those kinds of negatives go there's an element at the end that I find difficult to reconcile, but I won't delve into it as it would be far too much of a spoiler. Just know that I don't see it as a flawless story.

Janet's nightmare sequence is executed far better than I expected. Not that it could match anything we could do with today's technology, but as it launched into its odd visuals I expected to be be laughably bad. In fact, it sells relatively well. I almost wish it hadn't been the only dream sequence.

MORALITY:

This is a very tame movie other than the subject matter which is typical of old black and white horror. There is no sex, nudity, or strong language. The violence is bloodless and mostly off screen. We only know Mrs. Cross has been murdered because of Janet's reaction (and later dialogue) otherwise she might have just been threatened.

SPIRITUALITY:

Belonging to God does not mean we can't suffer from mental ailments. Sometimes this leads to overly religious folks showing disdain rather than compassion for the afflicted. It's not just those types, it's people in general, but a group taught by God to love others ought to know better than to mistreat someone like that.

Janet puts her faith in the wrong people – those who would exploit her rather than care for her. Only her husband has the loving desire to look out for her well being in any selfless way.

The saved should be like this husband, looking out for those that can't fully look out for themselves for whatever reason. Granted we will not typically be dealing with the cover up of a murder plot, but we will have to face the darkness of the world that likes to see the human spirit beaten down.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I definitely recommend this movie to fans of black and white suspense especially for anyone partial to Price like I am. It isn't his best but it's worthy.

#Shock