"Midnight Lace" was a tremendous hit. Movie-goers were lined around the block to get in to see the film, very much like
"Psycho." The movie ads were incredible and
Doris Day was at her zenith at the boxoffice.
On the Tonight Show,
Johnny Carson told Doris that he felt that she deserved an Oscar nomination for the picture. She smiled and said, "oh, Johnny, thank you..."
Her performance was good, but the role (thanks to the script) was a "one note Johnny." Each scene was a set up for the next "accident." A better screenplay could have made this one spectacular.
It was all filmed beautifully. Day in Irene's fashions, a great
Myrna Loy as her "Aunt Bea" (Miss Loy was once the Queen of the Movies!),
John Gavin, Herbert Marshall (borrowed from
Bette Davis?) and
John Williams playing the same English inspector he played in many films, including
"Dial M For Murder."
Day did what she could with the material, but should have been more demanding about a better script! With a heavier script and tighter direction, she might have been nominated for the Oscar. But her performance was flawed as it was in "
Love Me or Leave Me" by inserting intermitant slices of "cuteness" where it wasn't needed. She became 'Laurie Tuttle" at times:
"oh, I just love presents!" (smiling broadly)
Too much smiling in a dramatic picture breaks character. Doris' directors didn't seem to know that.
CHECK OUT DORIS DAY WARDROBE TEST FOR MIDNIGHT LACE HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=risKXOGvFOs