Don't Bother To Knock [HD]

Beautiful But Dangerous.....
This review refers to The DVD edition(Diamond Collection/20th Cent Fox)of "Don't Bother To Knock"

This film is a must have for Marilyn completists. From 1952,as a very young and emerging screen idol, she turns in an expert performance, as a woman on the edge, in this psychological drama. It also stars Richard Widmark and Anne Bancroft in her first feature film role.

The beautiful Nel(Monroe) has arrived in New York from Oregon to forget her past. She has had deep psychological problems and has recently been released from an "institution". Uncle Eddie(Elisha Cook Jr.),elevator operator at an established hotel, gets her a job babysitting for some of the guests, after all 'they' did said she was better now! But Marilyn turns out to be the babysitter from hell when her past takes over and she loses control. But even hell can be heavenly when Marilyn Monroe is involved,as she draws you into her spell and captivates you for the entire film.

The film directed by Roy...

Who Says Marilyn Can't Act?
Don't Bother To Knock is a dark psycho-drama that serves as a vehicle for Marilyn Monroe's mesmerizing performance. As Nell, a mentally unstable woman whose lover was killed in WWII, Monroe delivers a creepy performance. Hired for the night to babysit a little girl (Donna Corcoran) Nell drifts in and out of reality. Director Roy Baker draws out desperate emotionalism from Monroe, who is eerily convincing with her lines, and facial expressions. Richard Widmark plays Jed, a cold hearted pilot who cannot understand why his lounge singer girlfriend ( Anne Bancroft) has jilted him. Elisha Cook Jr. once again delivers a fine supporting role as the hotel elevator operator caught up in his nieces's (Nell's) strange behavior. The film is almost entirely shot within the confines of a hotel room and Baker's camera work and tight cutting adds to the suspense. Don't Bother To Knock definitely opened the door to Monroe's career.

" Bonus Features" disappointing
Although I give 5 stars for the quality and presentation of the main features, I was very disappointed in the Bonus Features (or lack of). Unlike the Diamond Collection 1, this collection has no Movietone newsreels (there's an excellent one on the Marilyn Collection VHS of "Let's Make Love"), there are no documentaries or deleted scenes like on the "Seven Year Itch" DVD, and a black and white(!!!) copy of the theatrical trailer to "Niagra" (even though there is an excellent colour copy on the VHS-Marilyn Collection. I get the feeling this collection was put together in a rush and not much time put into research to come up with some interesting things hidden in the vaults (also, where is the soundtrack to this collection like the excellent one that was put together for the last collection?). All and all, I still really enjoy seeing this collection, especially the wide screen versions of some of the movies ("River of No Return" was a treat as this was the first time I could see some...

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