Low cost
thrills artist William Fortress’s The Evening
Walker, was actually extra suspense than shock. The flamboyant producer/director
performed up the scares to journey the early ‘60s wave of post-Psycho/Child Jane type
fright flicks, however this outing was mild on horror.
The
1964 movie was hardly “hag horror” as star Barbara Stanwyck performed a superbly
regular particular person being tormented and seemed fairly engaging at age 57. Stanwyck
was teamed reverse former husband Robert Taylor, who really did look very haggard and prematurely aged at 53.
They labored collectively as professionals and with out feuding, in contrast to different stars
with histrionic “historical past.” 5 years later, Taylor could be useless of lung
most cancers, after a lifetime of chain-smoking.
| Producer/Director William Fortress together with his stars, Robert Taylor & Barbara Stanwyck, for 1964’s “The Evening Walker.” |
The
premise of this moody noir-like film is that after the dying of her unstable
scientist husband (Hayden Rorke in disfigured make-up), Stanwyck’s Irene Trenton
returns to her magnificence salon to take her thoughts off hubby’s sudden dying. Irene’s
desires have turn into more and more romantic, which had infected her jealous
husband, satisfied that she had a lover. Nicely, we see no less than in her desires that
she has one, performed by that unctuous smoothie, Lloyd Bochner of Dynasty fame. At the very least he doesn’t put on
his ordinary smoking jacket and ascot! He’s fairly younger and good-looking, in his
aquiline approach.
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| That is fairly a liplock dream lover Lloyd Bochner lays on Barbara Stanwyck in 1964’s “The Evening Walker.” |
The
desires turn into extra intense and dire, as Mr. McDreamy desires to marry her. Are
the desires turning into actuality? Is Irene in peril? Or is she merely wigging out?
With the quite small solid, there will not be a variety of suspects to select from. The
plot of The Evening Walker is as slim
as Stanwyck’s determine. And you recognize that Barbara Stanwyck, one of the
smart stars ever, will not be going berserk like Joan Crawford or all “Child”-ish
like Bette Davis. So “the how” of this thriller is extra the query than whodunit.
Stanwyck
is meant to go excessive in response to her psychological torture, however appearing a hysterical
scream queen will not be Barbara’s bag. “Stany” is finest when she’s right down to earth or
cool and understated. In her finest movie noirs or suspense movies, Barbara Stanwyck
is the appearing equal of Peggy Lee, slyly insinuating with out going massive.
General, Stanwyck’s efficiency is her ordinary complete professional flip, with pure empathy.
However when she begins screaming and hollering, it feels false and falls flat.
 |
| Barbara Stanwyck bellowing hysterically was not a great search for the cool actress! |
I
assume Stanwyck aged fairly gracefully and strikingly, together with her grey hair now
silver, in a delicate coiffure and make-up. It is a far cry from most of her
contemporaries who have been turning into more and more cartoonish trying or simply going
to seed. Stanwyck seemed her age, however with nice type.
 |
| Barbara Stanwyck was delicate and classy in her older years, right here in 1964’s “The Evening Walker.” Fortunately, “The Large Valley”was simply across the nook, an enormous profession increase. |
As
the household lawyer in The Evening Walker,
Robert Taylor acts like a sleep walker. As he aged in canine years, Bob seemed
more and more dour, very like Alan Ladd. Taylor additionally didn’t have Gable’s robust
character or Tyrone Energy’s heat appeal. The long-time MGM star appeared to be
put more and more out to pasture in westerns. Nonetheless, this horror movie was a
hiccup in each Bob and Bab’s careers.
 |
| Robert Taylor was a rough-looking 53 when he made 1964’s “The Evening Walker.” |
Producer-director
William Fortress used nice creativeness to stretch his B-movie budgets. In The Evening Fortress, the intro, full
with spoken work creepiness by Paul Frees, is visually hanging if not terribly
associated to the film itself. The rating is by Vic Mizzy, the prolific composer
who famously got here up with The Addams
Household theme. One recurring riff sounds amazingly like “Meals, Superb
Meals” from the Broadway musical Oliver!,
which made its Broadway debut round this time. Coincidence? Who can say?
 |
| No, Hayden Rorke and Robert Taylor aren’t debating who’s the warmer dude for Barbara Stanwyck! From 1964’s “The Evening Walker.” |
The
dream scenes are stylishly accomplished and subtly, too, besides when the courtroom
wedding ceremony scene is populated by puppets that seem like life dimension variations of The Thunderbirds. Hilariously camp,
particularly when the chandeliers catch hearth and spin, with Stanwyck’s smoky
voice emitting raspy screams!
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| No, this is not Raymond Burr with blonde hair from “Rear Window,” it is one of many creepy puppets/mannequins from 1964’s “The Evening Walker.” Bizzaro! |
This
movie has a skinny plot, low finances, and loony logic, typical of William Fortress.
As a temper piece, it’s fairly entertaining and exhibits some type, together with some
eye-rolling chills! The Evening Walker
pairs nicely with Stanwyck’s half-baked ‘40s WB thriller, Cry Wolf, with Barbara’s character coping with the loony males in
her life, and a secret lab!
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| Beneath is a hyperlink to “The Evening Walker.” Take pleasure in! |
Right here
is a superb, free copy of The Evening
Walker to look at on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5RYClikxcc&t=5s
Right here’s
my take a look at Barbara’s finest “girl in jeopardy” function, 1948’s “Sorry, Unsuitable Quantity”: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2025/06/stanwycks-fatal-phone-call-sorry-wrong.html
