I Wake Up Screaming

Synopsis: Promoter Frankie Christopher, being grilled by police in the murder of model Vicky Lynn, recalls in flashback: First meeting her as a waitress, Frankie decides to parlay her beauty into social acceptance and a lucrative career. He succeeds only too well: she's on the eve of deserting him for Hollywood...when someone kills her. Now Frankie gets the feeling that Inspector Ed Cornell is determined to pin the killing on him and only him. He's right. And the only one he can turn to for help is Jill, the victim's sister, who's been cool toward him...
Production: 20th Century Fox Film Corporation
 
IMDB:
7.3
Rotten Tomatoes:
83%
PASSED
Year:
1941
82 min
178 Views


Extra! Extra!

Read all about it!

Blonde model murdered!

Slayer's still at large! Read all about it!

- Hey, boy!

- Yes, sir.

Thanks.

Extra! Read all about it!

- [Man] If you know what's good for you,

you'll come clean.

- When did you find the body?

- Why'd you do it?

- I didn't do it.

- You've said that before.

- All right, and I'll say it again.

- I can keep it up as long as you can.

- Listen, brother.

You don't seem to get the idea at all.

You're gonna fry for this.

- It means the hot spot.

- It does if you can pin it on me,

but I don't think you can.

I think we can.

You're a pretty tough guy, aren't you,

with a crowd around?

- Why don't you come out in the open

so I can see you?

- Never mind that.

- When did you first meet Vicky Lynn?

- [Sighs]

Say, listen, fellas. Why-Why don't you

let me make a record of it...

then you can play it over

to yourselves as often as you like.

Go ahead, Frankie,

just once more.

Pick it up when you met her for the first time

in that lunchroom on 8th Avenue.

- Okay, MacDonald. For you, I'll do it.

- Thanks.

I'd been to the fights

with a couple of friends of mine.

We'd just dropped in

for a cup of coffee, and-

- And hotcakes and coffee.

- Is that all?

No, but the rest of it

isn't on the menu.

You couldn't afford it

if it was.

- Say, you know something?

- Yes.

I'm wasting my time

being just an ordinary waitress.

[Chuckles]

Frankie, you're losing your grip.

I bet I can take that girl- inside of six months,

put her on top of the ladder.

What ladder? You've promoted

everything from prizefighters to fan dancers...

but I doubt if even you, maestro,

could make a lady out of a hash slinger.

In the right clothes, the right places with the

right people, she could get by anywhere.

It might be fun trying,

even if it didn't work.

Here she comes now, Frankie.

Pour on the charm.

How would you like to go to

the El Chico Club tomorrow night?

- This is where I came in.

- I'm not kidding.

I'll put you in a sable wrap and introduce

you to caf society. What do you say?

I say you're out

of your mind.

## [Band]

Eleanor, I wish you had seen me

as Romeo. I was magnificent.

- That was a long time ago, wasn't it?

- How old are you, anyhow?

That, my dear Lady Handel, is a secret

that I keep even from my own mother.

- Ah.

- Who is that beautiful girl?

- Good evening, Mr. Christopher.

- Good evening.

I have your table

for you.

I say, I'm in luck. It just happens

I know the man that's with her.

- Who is he?

- Frankie Christopher, a sports promoter.

Prizefights, hockey,

ice carnivals and girls.

Mostly girls.

Excuse me.

- Wine with the dinner and coffee later.

- Very good, sir.

- Hello, Christopher.

- Hello, Ray.

Miss Lynn, I'd like you to meet

the famous actor, Robin Ray.

Actor? Really?

How do you do?

Listen, you little hash slinger, don't give me

any of that "lady" stuff, or I'll bite you.

- Am I overdoing it?

- Yes, but not bad.

Hello, Christopher.

How are things?

- How do you think?

- I think yes.

Miss Lynn, I'd like you to know Larry Evans,

the columnist.

- Larry, this is Miss Vicky Lynn.

- How do you do, Mr. Evans?

- I've read much about you.

- Indeed. Flattering, I hope.

Naturally. Most of it

appeared in your own column.

- Ouch.

- Keep it up, Vicky. Swell.

Yeah. That last line wasn't in the script.

Well, sit down, boys.

Sit down. Lynn? Lynn?

Of the Baltimore Lynns, by any chance?

No, no. My family came from Boston,

the home of the bean, you know?

Is that so? Do tell.

- May I have the next mazurka?

- Oh, I'd simply love it.

- Oh, no, you don't.

- Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

I didn't bring Miss Lynn for you two chiselers

to cut in. Come on, boys. Fight over her.

If she dances with anybody,

it's going to be with me.

Let us settle this dispute by claiming the

ancient privilege of age before beauty.

- Go scuttle yourself. I saw her first.

- You can't talk to me like that.

- Gentlemen, gentlemen.

- Beg your pardon.

Lady Handel presents her compliments...

and would like to have Mr. Christopher

and his party have supper with her.

Why, we'd be delighted.

Well, you're in, Vicky.

Just pick up your feet and feel your way.

- [Clears Throat]

- Come on, Vicky.

All right, boys.

Let's go.

May I present Miss Lynn

and Mr. Christopher? Lady Handel.

- How do you do, Miss Lynn?

- How do you do?

- And Mr. Christopher.

- How do you do?

- Won't you be seated?

- Thank you.

Robin, you sit here.

You haven't put a price

on yourself yet.

[Horns Honking,

Distant]

Well, I'll do everything I can: give you a plug

in the column every once in a while.

You might do worse than to have

your name linked with mine.

I don't see how.

Good evening, Harry.

May I please have my key?

Get that key for Miss Lynn,

and be quick about it.

Well, uh,

good night, gentlemen.

It's been wonderful,

and I'm terribly grateful to you all.

- Well, can't we go up for a moment?

- Oh, I'm afraid not.

It's pretty late,

and we might disturb my sister.

- Good night.

- Good night.

- Good night.

- Good night.

- I'll be around for you first thing in the morning.

I'll be waiting

for you.

- "Sister."

- I hate girls with sisters.

- What are you beefing about?

Have you seen her yet?

- No. Have you?

- No.

- Then we're neck and neck.

They day I find you and I are neck and neck,

I'll know I'm running down.

What's the matter with you,

gettin' so sore? She ain't nobody.

She will be, and when she is, you'll be lucky

if you're in the same neighborhood.

- What made you so sure you

could make something of her?

- That's my business: promotion.

She had looks, youth, a good figure.

What more do you want?

- I'm asking the questions.

- Then hurry up. I've got

an appointment at the Garden.

- Okay, MacDonald.

- Now, listen, Frankie.

There's been a murder committed, and we're

just trying to get to the bottom of things.

That's all.

- [Man] What's your name?

- [Woman]Jill Lynn.

- [Man] Any initials?

- No. Just plain "Jill."

- What relation are you to the dead girl?

- She was my sister.

How long have you been living

in New York?

Well, Vicky had been here

a couple of years, and after Mom died...

I came on from Chicago

to set up housekeeping with her.

Even though we shared the apartment,

I saw very little of her the last few weeks.

- Why was that?

- Well, you see, I have a position

as a stenographer downtown...

and Vicky was working

on a night shift in a restaurant.

- We just kept different hours.

- What do you know about

this man Frankie Christopher?

Nothing, except he was the one

who first gave Vicky those grand ideas...

about

becoming a celebrity.

When did this start?

The first time I knew it was serious was the night

she came home from a nightclub.

It was very late, and I

had fallen asleep on the couch.

[Door Unlatching]

Jill. Jill, what do you think?

I've done it. I'm a success.

- What is all this?

- You know what happened?

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Dwight Taylor

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "I Wake Up Screaming" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/i_wake_up_screaming_10529>.

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