Midnight Lace
Midnight Lace is a 1960 American psychological thriller film directed by David Miller and starring Doris Day as Kit Preston, a wealthy American heiress living in London who begins receiving anonymous, menacing telephone calls threatening her life, leading those around her—including her husband, played by Rex Harrison—to doubt her sanity.[1] The film, produced by Ross Hunter for Arwin Productions and Universal-International Pictures, was adapted by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts from the 1958 British play Matilda Shouted Fire by Janet Green, which toured the provinces.[1] Filmed on location in London, it features a supporting cast including John Gavin as a sympathetic neighbor, Myrna Loy as Kit's aunt, and Roddy McDowall in a key role, with Irene designing 17 costume changes for Day's character, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design, Color.[1] Released on October 13, 1960, in New York with a wider November premiere, Midnight Lace blends elements of suspense and mystery, drawing comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock's style while showcasing Day's dramatic range beyond her musical roles.[1] The plot escalates as Kit faces apparent accidents and encounters in foggy London settings.[2] Critically, it received mixed reviews for its tension-building but was praised for Day's performance, contributing to its status as a notable entry in 1960s thriller cinema.[2]Narrative and Characters
Plot
Katherine "Kit" Preston (Doris Day), an American heiress newly married for three months to British financier Anthony "Tony" Preston (Rex Harrison), settles into their elegant London flat in Grosvenor Square. One foggy evening, while walking home from a shopping trip near the American Embassy, Kit hears a high-pitched male voice threatening to kill her, knowing her name and nationality, which sends her running in terror through the misty streets. Upon arriving home, she confides in Tony, but he dismisses it as a possible prank by rowdy youths. Soon after, Kit begins receiving anonymous phone calls with the same eerie voice, escalating her fear and prompting her to contact Scotland Yard Inspector Tom Byrne (John Williams), who initially treats her concerns with skepticism.[1][3] The threats intensify as Kit experiences a series of near-fatal incidents that heighten her paranoia. A massive steel girder nearly crushes her on a foggy construction site, an elevator in her building malfunctions and traps her briefly, and during a shopping outing on Oxford Street, she is shoved toward an oncoming double-decker bus, narrowly escaping injury. Kit's slashed evening dress and more harassing calls further isolate her; she turns to her visiting Aunt Bea (Myrna Loy) for support, but even Bea begins to doubt her niece's accounts amid the lack of concrete evidence. Interactions with neighbors and acquaintances add suspicion: the unemployed Malcolm (Roddy McDowall), son of their housekeeper, who aggressively demands money from Kit; the overly attentive building contractor Brian Younger (John Gavin), who aids her during the girder incident; and business associate Charles Manning (Herbert Marshall), whose gambling debts raise questions. Inspector Byrne investigates but finds no leads, leading Kit to question her own sanity as Tony grows increasingly frustrated with her hysteria.[1][3] The conspiracy unravels in a climactic revelation at the construction site overlooking the Thames. Tony and his lover, the neighboring divorcee Peggy Thompson (Natasha Parry), orchestrated the stalking to drive Kit to apparent suicide, allowing Tony to claim her inheritance to cover his embezzlement of £1 million from his company. Peggy made the disguised phone calls and attempted the bus push, while Tony arranged the girder and elevator sabotage. As Tony attempts to strangle Kit on a precarious scaffold, Peggy's estranged husband Roy (Anthony Dawson) interrupts, seeking revenge for the affair; a struggle ensues in which Tony shoots Roy. Kit fights back, escaping with help from Brian and Inspector Byrne, who had tapped their phone line and overheard the plot. Tony and Peggy are arrested, with Tony confessing his underestimation of Kit's resilience and the efficiency of British authorities.[1][3]Cast
Midnight Lace features a prominent ensemble led by Doris Day in the lead role, supported by established stars of stage and screen in key positions. The film's cast brings together American and British talent, reflecting the story's transatlantic setting in London. Below is the principal credited cast, with brief descriptions of their characters.| Actor | Character | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Doris Day | Katherine "Kit" Preston | An American heiress residing in London. [4] |
| Rex Harrison | Anthony "Tony" Preston | Kit's wealthy British husband and businessman. [4] |
| John Gavin | Brian Younger | A young American engineer working on a construction project in London. [4] |
| Myrna Loy | Aunt Bea | Kit's supportive aunt visiting from the United States. [1] |
| Roddy McDowall | Malcolm Stanley | Son of the Prestons' housekeeper, who demands money from Kit. [4] |
| Hermione Baddeley | Nora | The Prestons' no-nonsense housekeeper. [4] |
| Herbert Marshall | Charles Manning | Tony's business associate with gambling debts. [4] |
| Natasha Parry | Peggy Thompson | Tony's lover and neighboring divorcee. [4] |
| Anthony Dawson | Roy | Peggy's estranged husband. [4] |