MIDNIGHT LACE (1960)

    

While making MIDNIGHT LACE (1960) Doris Day would become emotionally drained. Scenes that involved Day to become hysterical , would take her over the edge. Mainly due to Day tapping into her turbulent past with her first husband trombonist Al Jorden. According to Day's autobiography, one incident  involved Jorden hurling her against a wall, when she was ill and pregnant. These disturbing memories helped Day to reach the breaking point of hysteria. After the scene , Day would collapse and had to be carried to her dressing room. Producer Ross Hunter  would shut down production, until his leading lady recovered. After MIDNIGHT LACE (1960), Day vowed never to make another thriller.  

 Doris Day Plays American heiress Kit Preston newly married to British Financier Tony Preston ( Rex Harrison) for Three Months. 
Unfortunately, the neglected newlywed finds herself with too much time on her hands, due to her husband working long hours into the night. One day when Kit Preston (Doris Day) was leaving the American Embassy, she found herself in the thick of it, a real PEA SOUPER (London Fog). Instead of hailing for a cab, Kit decides to walk across the park which would bring her in front of her penthouse. On her way, Kit started to get rattled by the "tapping sounds" closing in on her. Luckily it was only a blind man with a walking stick.

 Kit pressed on through the thick dense fog, Suddenly she was startled by a creepy voice calling out to her. Kit became frightened when the voice threatened her " MRS. PRESTON, Over here! So close I put my hands on your throat." Kit asked her stalker who he was and What he wanted. The creepy voice answer that she would know when the time came just before he kills her. Swiftly Kit  made a dash for her life , running blindly through the park. She stumbled over a park bench. The Creepy Voice can be heard through the dense fog once again "Careful Mrs. Preston, I wouldn't want you to get hurt, not yet."  Panic stricken Kit raced out of the park to her penthouse.

Safe at home , Kit still petrified, is greeted by her husband Tony (Rex Harrison) who asks her if she swallowed too much FOG. When Kit tried to explain about her ordeal in the park, the more absurd it sounded. She rattled on that the voice was in the front of her , then in the back of her, and was in high in singsong like a puppet. Tony dismissed his wife's trauma as mere prank from a local practical joker. Kit became convince that her husband's assumption on the incident was right.

Tony asked his wife if she had straighten out  every thing out with the American Embassy. Apparently, Kit has lost or misplaced her passport. Kit responded  that she would receiving her new one , next week.  Which is great news since the couple is going to Venice for their honeymoon. Finally, after three months of being married, Tony was able to have time off from his job to be alone with his wife. Kit is so excited that she tells her husband that she has to buy a few things for their trip. Okay, get your mind out of the gutter, this is Doris Day we are talking about after all. No, sex toys but our wholesome darling does buy a see through black lace negligee . It so happens that the name of negligee is the title of the film MIDNIGHT LACE.

 Getting her husband's  opinion on the Midnight lace number, wasn't the only reason Kit went to her husband's work. Tony promised lunch. Sadly, Tony had to cancel  last minute, due to work so he says. Tony has made a habit of canceling engagements with his pretty wife. Poor Kit disappointed once again by her workalholic husband heads back to her luxury apartment alone.

  One thing is for certain , every maturing leading lady needs is handsome man by her side. John Gavin, certainly fit the bill after appearing with Lana Turner in IMITATION OF LIFE (1959). Gavin was often criticize for being a mannequin or a mere window dressing in lush Ross Hunter productions. His looks is just what the Producer ordered, but his acting was considered wooden. Gavin plays hunky contractor  Brian Younger in MIDNIGHT LACE (1959) who saves Kit's life from a crashing aluminum beam.

After knocking Kit to the ground, Brian offers to carry in her packages in to her apartment. Kit declines his offer, being a married woman in all. Brian gives his apology for the incident and calling her MRS. PRESTON.  When Kit inquires how he knew her name. Brain answers that he asked the postman. Could Brian be Kit's mysterious stalker ?
Once inside, Kit is greeted by her curious neighbor Peggy (Natasha Parry) who was wondering why Kit back so early from her luncheon date with Tony. Apparently Tony told Peggy that he was having lunch with his wife. Kit informed her neighbor that she was stood up, once again by a board meeting. Peggy doesn't have such problems, her husband in supposedly in the Navy. 
                     

,  Roddy McDowall returns back to BIG SCREEN  in his second film MIDNIGHT LACE (1960) in nearly a decade. McDowall had left Hollywood to relocate in New York appearing on the SMALL SCREEN on notable television programs like THE TWLIGHT ZONE. McDowall had great success on a three year run with the Broadway Production of CAMELOT with Julie Andrews and Richard Burton. McDowall plays Kit's housekeeper's adult son Malcom who stills borrow money from his mommy. Kit seems to put off by the deadbeat Malcom sponging off his elderly mother. Could Malcom be a Kit's mysterious stalker ?

 After the freeloading Malcom left the apartment, Kit reads a telegram that her Aunt Bea ( Myrna Loy) will be arriving on Thursday. Then the phone rings, Kit answers the phone only to be subjected to a horrible crank caller muttering filthy things to her. Kit began to blush over the vulgarity, like her virgin ears were about to burst and then responded 'WHAT? what a HORRIBLE...you must be INSANE."  Kit then  demanded the identity of  obscene caller , but (of course) the line went dead.

Instantaneously the door bell rings , the flustered Kit frantically heads towards the door. Kit could hear her neighbor Peggy's voice from the other side of the door. Kit  immediately lets  Peggy in and  tells her about the obscene phone call.  Peggy responded by saying "You got one of those TELEPHONE TALKERS with a KINK." Then Kit tells Peggy that her telephone talker plans to murder to her before the month is out. Peggy then injects " You got one of the less romantic ones." After hearing about Kit's mysterious stalker in the park the other day, Peggy insists on calling Tony, even knowing  he was in an  important board meeting.

 The  very next scene has The Prestons going to Scotland Yard  about Kit's TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK. Of Course, Inspector Bymes ( John Williams ) has many questions for Mrs. Preston like " Can you think of anyone that would want to KILL you  or  UPSET you for some reason?" Williams is  certainly experienced in playing Inspectors , in fact six years prior, he played Inspector General Hubbard in Alfred Hitchock's DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954).

Back to the synopsis , Kit tells the Inspector that her TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK had a very high pitch voice that seemed  unreal. Then Inspector Bymes tells The Prestons that once in a blue moon, they are able to pull in these kinky telephone talkers and record their voices on a Q.T.  in a cell or police court. While Mrs. Preston is listening to these perverted recordings that would make Fraud sit up and blink, Inspector Thymes has a little chat with Mr. Preston. Inspector Thymes indicates that he has been his experience in these kind of cases, more often its the wife trying to get attention from her neglectful husband.

The arrival of Aunt Bea (Myrna Loy) was a welcoming distraction that Kit needed to keep her mind of her TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK. Kit opens up to her Aunt that a telephone talker said he was going to kill her. Aunt Bea reassures Kit not to worry about that crackpot, now that she is here, everything going to be alright.

That night, Kit receives another phone call, but this time Tony is home. Tony tells Kit to keep the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK on the line, while he goes to the bedroom to get on the extension.  Kit became overwrought listening to the dirty things her TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK said and slams the receiver down. When Tony got on the other line, the call was disconnected. Tony calls Inspector Bymes about the latest phone call. Inspector Bymes suggest that they get a unlisted phone number  (yeah, you think!) and keep a record of the people they give it to. Then Inspector Bymes further inquires if Tony was close enough to hear the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK.  Tony said then he had tried to pick the extension, but his wife had disconnected the call by the time , he was on the other line. 

The next day, Kit finds herself trapped in her building's elevator in the dark. Alone and frightened for her life, Kit could see someone climbing the stairs through the elevator's iron gate. Then Kit could hear someone desperately trying to open the service door , calling out "MRS. PRESTON." The ordeal became too much for Kit  to bear, who was hyperventilating in PANIC overdrive. All of a sudden, that certain someone was now climbing down into the elevator with her. Kit became wildy irrational,  until she became aware it was the building's  hunky contractor Brian Younger.  According to Mr. Younger the transformer shorted the power and he was on his way to warn her , when he noticed the elevator stuck between floors.

After Mr. Younger rescued her from the elevator, Kit uses the excuse of not having her LAND LEGS yet, to have a drink with her handsome knight in shining armor at the nearby pub. But was Mr. Younger really her knight in shiny armor or was he the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK? We learn during the conversation at the pub, that Mr. Younger suffers from SHELLSHOCK from being trapped in a burning tank when he was a soldier. Instantly Kit's handsome knight in shiny armor turns into a war veteran with some psychological issues. This scene in particular , you can really see why John Gavin 's acting skills was described as WOODEN. 

Kit makes a hasty exit from the pub, after hearing Mr. Younger war time plight . Could Mr. Younger be mentally unbalanced ? Well, here's another red herring to keep you guessing, Mr. Younger is approached by the pub proprietor about putting the phone calls he made from the back last night on the bill.

During  the intermission of SWAN LAKE, Kit is visited by Malcom in the balcony , requesting money on his sick mommy 's behalf. Kit insists that Malcom sent her the doctor's bills to her , but Malcom wants the cash in hand. When Kit refuses, Malcom becomes insulted thinking that Kit thinks that he would pocket the money for himself. He then accuses Kit of becoming between him and his mommy, and if she didn't stop, she would regret it. Tony returns in just in time to hear Malcom threaten his wife .  Quickly Tony pushes Malcom against the wall, threatening to call the police. Tony then accuses Malcom of being the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK. Of course, Malcom denies the allegations and scurries back to seat.

The next scene shines some insight on Kit's Husband. There seems to be dilemma at Tony's employment, thousands of shares are unaccounted for, in neighborhood of one million pound (Don't ask me what that translated in U.S. Dollars). According to books, that someone been dipping into the till, bleeding them dry for years. Could that someone be Tony ? Is that why he married a rich heiress recently to get him out of hot water.

The next day poor Kit receives one of those dreadful phone calls from her TELEPHONE TALKER with a KINK. But this time there is no sex talk , only that he wants her dead. Kit becomes frantic when he asks if she's alone. Of course, Kit lies to him that she is not , that her maid is here. Then the line went DEAD. As quickly as she could, Kit puts on her high heels and dashes towards the door. When Kit opens the door there a strange man in the door way  calling her 'MRS. PRESTON". Then almost simultaneously the phone rings. Kit scrambles back for the phone  and picks up the receiver. Kit begins to cry over the phone for her Aunt Bea  to help her.

The stranger heads inside Kit's penthouse, while Kit  dashes to the balcony crying for someone to help her. Thankfully,  hunky Mr. Yeager was working with his men on the scaffolding  below. Without hesitation, Mr. Yeager climbs up the scaffolding to Kit's Balcony. But the mysterious stranger vanished without a trace.

 Inspector Bymes seems a bit baffled with Mrs. Preston's retelling of her accounts of the incident. WHY didn't Mrs. Preston try to close the  door on man she though was going to kill her? WHY did Mrs. Preston run back inside to ANSWER the telephone ??? After all  of the Inspector's probing inquiries, Kit becomes an emotional wreck. Kit suspects that Inspector Bymes believes that she made everything up. But that's not the case with Kit's hunky champion Mr. Yeager would seems to genuinely believe her.

After this terrible ordeal. Tony announces that the Venice trip is back on. Kit is so ecstatic that she finally gets to go on her postponed honeymoon. The next day, Kit goes shopping downtown. We notice that strange man is downtown as well. Kit becomes uneasy while walking down the street , she senses her stalker 's presence but never sees him. Then another incident happens, while Kit was in a crowded line waiting for the double decker bus to stop. Kit felt someone's hands on her back pushing her out onto  the street to be run down by the bus. Luckily for Kit , the bus was able to come to a  screeching halt, before running her over.

Then to our surprise, Peggy emerges from the crowd stating  that she saw the whole thing. Kit tells the police that it wasn't anybody 's fault that she slipped and fell ..it was an accident. Kit immediately shares a taxi with Peggy, telling her a different story. Kit claims that she felt hands of her TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK  pushed her out onto the street. But Kit didn't see him ,but know it was him , because she felt his eyes on her the moment she left the luggage shop. Peggy inquires why didn't she tell the police. Kit informs Peggy that Scotland Yard doesn't believe her. 

Once back at the Penthouse, Peggy makes tea for Kit to settle her nerves. But Kit is still somewhat distraught, wishing that her TELEPHONE TALKER with a KINK would call for she could have Peggy as a witness. Then Kit would have the proof she needed that she was not fabricating her stalker. Kit somehow convinces Peggy to go along with her inaccurate proclamation that the TELEPHONE TALKER with a KINK called ,while she was present.  But the plan backfires when Tony tells them , he been trying to reach Kit all day. Tony shows them that the phone is out of order , which means Kit and Peggy are lying about the alleged phone call.

  What a good friend Peggy is or is she ? It seems to me, Peggy was about when that iron beam came crashing down on Kit. And there's that probing question that Tony told her , that he and Kit had a luncheon engagement. Maybe Peggy knew before Kit, that the lunch date would be canceled, which gave her time to set up an accident. So many red herrings in MIDNIGHT  LACE, which make almost impossible to solve.

After Kit 's stunt involving Peggy to lie for her. Tony felt it's time to have the TALK with Aunt Bea about his wife's sanity. Unfortunately, Aunt Bea has no doubts about Tony having her niece's best interest at hand . Nor does she entertain the thought Tony maybe GASLIGHTING  her niece to get to her fortune (but we do !!). The perfect opportunity may have presented itself, having poor Aunt Bea being used as witness against her own niece.  Tony instructs Aunt Bea to answer the phone posing as Kit. When the phone rang, Kit came halfway down the staircase,, hoping that Aunt Bea would hear the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK first hand. Instead Aunt Bea hears someone asking MRS. PRESTON, when she would like him to start making the phone calls again? Kit collapses having a MELT DOWN on the stairs, when Aunt Bea relays that information back to her.

At this point, Kit 's sanity is being questioned, clearly Kit has hired someone to make those telephone calls, which prompt a visit to her doctor. Immediately you will recognize Kit's Doctor, but it is not  DR. BELLOWS from the sitcom I DREAM OF JEANIE . It's Dr. Garver who is played by unmistakable Hayden Rorke. It is Dr. Garver's opinion is that Mrs. Preston maybe a victim  of DISSOCIATION OF PERSONALTY, living two lives without knowing it. Dr. Garver suggest that the best course of action would be to have Mrs. Preston see  a Psychiatrist

.The trip to Venice is still on for tomorrow per order of Dr. Garver , who thinks a change of scenery maybe just the trick needed. Aunt Bea agrees also, that it may help clear the cobs away. While packing the suitcase, Kit catches a bit of chill and goes to close  the doors of the balcony. She couldn't help but see Mr. Yeager cross the street , heading inside the pub.

At the pub, Mr. Yeager couldn't help but notice a  strange man  that bares the resemblance to what Mrs. Preston described her TELEPHONE TALER with a KINK  to look like. Mr. Yeager decides to do some investigating on his own, speaking with the pub proprietor. She tells him that the odd looking chap been hanging around for some days now and that she caught him in the dark of the doorway last night, just staring across the street  like he had no good on his mind. Then pub proprietor adds that no woman isn't safe on the streets anymore.  Immediately Mr. Yeager thinks that he may have found Mrs. Preston's TELEPHONE TALKER with a KINK.

Meanwhile back at The Prestons's luxurious apartment, the phone rings. Quickly, Kit with the bedroom phone in hand, instructs Tony to pick up the downstairs phone. Kit was able to keep the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK long enough for that Tony was able to hear him. Before the call ended ,the TELEPHONE TALKER with a KINK reminds Kit that she has an appointment with him and that she will not be going to Venice. Tony dashes to Kit's side, telling her that he believes her now. Kit wonders how the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK knew that they were going to Venice.

Tony decides to inform Inspector Bymes  that the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK called again. Apparently , on the other end of the line, Inspector Bymes is asking Tony if  Kit would be willing to play along as BAIT,  by being left alone to flush out the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK. Kit desperately begs Tony not to ask her to do it.  Tony promised Kit that he was only pretending to leave, and that he would come back up through the rear entrance . Tony reminded Kit that the police were on their way. Kit handed Tony his briefcase, agreeing to go along with the plan. Tony reassured Kit that he would be right back as headed out the door. Kit then bolted the door and headed over to make herself a drink.

All of a sudden , a crashing sound was heard coming from the fireplace. Kit swiftly went over to stoke the fire. Meanwhile outside the Building, Mr. Yeager watched Tony leave the apartment building. Then Mr. Yeager began walk around the grounds of the apartment building like he was looking for someone, maybe  the odd looking  chap he saw at the pub.

Now the cat and mouse game begins with the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK dropping a line to Kit. But Kit becomes a bit unraveled, due to the fact of being a alone and vulnerable. Thankfully , Tony kept his promise to Kit and came back the apartment. Kit was so glad to see Tony and was no longer alone. Tony instructed Kit to pick the phone , which lets her stalker know that she 's alone. When Kit answered the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK tells her that he saw her husband leave and laughed.

Next, Tony and Kit go around shutting off all the lights in the apartment. Then Kit could heard that UNREAL voice coming from inside the apartment saying : "I come to keep our appointment Mrs. Preston." Kit calls out for Tony , who is no where to be found. The UNREAL voice once again speaks : " Everyone will understand. It's all been too much for you. Your mind couldn't take it any more. You threw yourself over the terrace with a little help from me." Kit  again calls out for Tony, but instead the strangeintruder from other day appears with a gun in his hand. Then out of nowhere, Tony wrestles with the intruder.

After a somewhat lengthy brawl, the gun is discharged.Then Kit could see one of  men rise  to his feet. Kit hopes it was Tony. But then the UNREAL voice could be heard once again: " It won't do you any good to SCREAM Mrs. Preston."  Instead of running for her life, Kit decides to stay put and have one of her infamous MELT DOWNS. The UNREAL voice drew closer to her , but it was from a tape recorder which Tony held in his hand. Kit was relieve it was her husband instead of the strange intruder. The case of the TELEPHONE TALKER  with a KINK  was solved or was it ?
Kit finds out that Tony never called the police. Next, Tony informs his wife that he plans to call the police right after he throws her over the terrace. He adds that it would be made to look like a struggle between her and the strange intruder. Kit wants to know WHY? he wants to kill her ? Tony tells Kit  that he needs her MONEY. He needs to find a way to  put back a million pounds that he had stolen , back into the company.

 Poor Kit's world has been turned upside finding her out that  husband of three months, only married her for her money. The question is did Tony act alone ? He couldn't have , Tony was present when Kit received the very last call from the TELEPHONE TALKER with a KINK. Then the answer burst into the apartment wearing a tight fitting dress. Kit couldn't believe her eyes that it was Peggy (no surprise there) who made those phone calls using the tape recorder. Peggy was basically the one who did all the dirty work, rigging the iron beam to collapse and pushed Kit out onto the street to get killed. Apparently Tony has been having an affair with the married Peggy , before Kit came into  the picture. Kit was just a means to end for Tony claim her money after her untimely death.

Then there was a stir from the strange intruder on the floor. Peggy gasped, when she recognized the strange intruder to be her husband. Not quite what I envisioning when Peggy spoke about her husband in the Navy. I envisioned more of a Beefy Doug McClure then this chap. While Tony and Peggy were engage in a conversation about how her husband found out about them. Kit makes a break for it out onto the terrace. Quickly Kit climbs out onto the scaffolding that framed the outside of the apartment  building due to construction.

Tony and Peggy watched from the window, as the terrified Kit performed a high wire act on the beams of scaffolding without a net. Tony was about to go after Kit, but was stopped in his tracks after a police man shined his flashlight on him. Tony decided to go back inside after seeing a police man and Mr. Yeager down below on the street. Mr . Yeager quickly got on the outside elevator to help Mrs. Preston. Kit carefully made herself across extended beam until she reached a support beam.  Once there Kit held onto the support beam for dear life. As for Tony and Peggy, they won't be  able to   finish watching  Kit's high wire act, because Inspector Tymes has put them under arrest.

Finally Mr. Yeager reaches our poor DAMSEL IN DISTRESS, still clinging to the support beam. Mr. Yeager extends out his hand to Kit  and tells her not to look down. Kit follows Mr. Yeager's lead , back on the extension beam. Even though Mr. Yeager tells Kit not to look down, she does which causing her stumble. Fortunately for Kit, Mr. Yeager was there to brace her or she would have plunged to her death like Tony intended.

Moments later, Kit was back safely on her terrace, thanks to Mr. Yeager. Kit shows her appreciation by clinging tightly to her knight in shiny armor.  Meanwhile inside the luxury apartment, we learn that Peggy's husband became suspicious of her, because she wrote too many letters and sent him too many packages. He knew there was something wrong and had to find out. He continued to say that he followed Tony and Peggy for days. Then he blurred out that he meant to kill Peggy. Inspector Tymes advises Peggy 's husband not to continue.

Out of curiousity, Tony asks Inspector Tymes what brought him to his apartment. Inspector Tymes informs Tony that he had been listening to his  phone calls all day, because his phone was tapped. Inspector Tymes injects that he found his last phone call most informative. Our story concludes with a happy ending with Kit walking away with her hunky Mr. Yeager and (of course) Aunt Bea as her chaperone.

IMMORTAL DIALOGUE

"Mrs. Preston, Over here ! So close I could reach out and put my hands on your throat."

Creepy Voice : " Careful Mrs. Preston . I wouldn't want you to get hurt. Not yet !!"

                 "It called MIDNIGHT LACE. Do you like it ?"

              "What ? what a horrible... YOU must be INSANE." 

" You must have got one of those TELEPHONE TALKERS  with a KINK."

Inspector Bymes :" You're wife's in good health, I suppose ?"
Tony Preston "  Like a YOUNG RACEHORSE. Why ?

                

                 Kit : "Don't you ever change."
                Aunt Bea : "I try not to, but the bills at the BEAUTY    PARLOR get bigger every year."

              " I 'm afraid I don't have my LAND LEGS yet."

     "She said Aunt Bea ...HELP ME !! HELP ME !!"

" I saw you FALL and the bus coming toward you. I thought you were done for. "

"  It was HIM wasn't it ? You HEARD him? What did he SAY ?"

                     FILM FACTS

MIDNIGHT LACE (1960) was Doris Day 's final thriller. Day would continue to make films for eight more years , but only comedies.

Rex Harrison was not fond of MIDNIGHT LACE (1960), so much that he barely mention it in his memoir ... REX, An Auto biography. According to his memoir, Harrison states the Day was under so much pressure making the film that she collapsed. Apparently that was proven to be false , Day did not collapse due pressure . She collapsed to due to her method acting style, evoking horrible memories from an abusive marriage.

Doris Day wears the White Gown from her MIDNIGHT LACE  wardrobe to the 32nd Annual Academy Awards. Day was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in PILLOW TALK (1959). 

Bing Crosby's daughter Mary Crosby starred in the 1981 TV Movie remake of MIDNIGHT LACE.

                    

                        THE CAST
          Kit Preston... DORIS DAY
          Tony Preston...REX HARRISON
           Brian Younger... John Gavin
           Aunt Bea ... Myrna Loy
           Malcom ... Roddy McDowall
           Charles Manning ..Herbert Marshall
            Peggy ... Natasha Parry
           Inspector Bymes ... John Williams
           Dora ... Hemione Baddeley
           Daniel ... Richard Ney
           Victor Elliott ..Rhys Williams
           Ash ...Anthony Dawson
          Nora Stanley ... Doris Lloyd
          Foster ... Richard Lupino
          Dr. Garver ... Hayden Rorke

                               
                                   MY BOTTOM LINE IS  ...
MIDNIGHT LACE (1960) in  my opinion is  a above standard "Woman in Peril" film, due to Doris Day's method acting. Day definitely brought her game to this thriller , tapping into dark places of her past. Day also shows her lighter side in  this Lavish Ross Hunter production, parading around in her favorite designer's IRENE creations in spectacular technicolor. Day proves once again, that she is more than  America's Sweetheart who only does lightweight musicals and comedies. Day has proven herself before in other dramatic roles, such as her stand out performance as Torch Singer Ruth Etting in LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (1955). Another film worth mentioning is JULIE (1956), which Day plays another Damsel in Distress being tormented by her sadistic husband .

Even though Day excelled in these types of roles, she vowed never to do another thriller due to her breakdown on the set of MIDNIGHT LACE (1960).  Day kept her promise by only doing lightweight comedies through the rest of her movie career. It really unfortunate that she didn't continue on playing these Damsel in Distress roles, which could have evolved  later in her career, into the Grande Dame Guignol genre. No one has a emotional  MELT DOWN  like Doris Day.