I Saw What You Did (Universal Pictures) (1965)

Joan Crawford Stars In Castle's Scarey Chiller, ‘T Saw What You Did! (Review) With a cast headed by Joan Crawford and John Ireland and including, besides several skilled veterans, two talented teenaged newcomers in key roles, William Castle’s “I Saw What You Did!”’, a Universal picture, opened....__.. atthe. Theatre. Teenagers and parents alike will identify with those in volved in this terrifying tale of violence unwittingly unleashed by three youngsters left alone at night, playing the ‘telephone game” of calling numbers at random and leaving such dire messages as “I know who you are — and I saw what you did!” It’s a fun game for them — until they call a man who has just murdered his wife. From the time he cradles the phone, audiences will hold their breath as the killer sets out to find and silence the anonymous caller he believes witnessed his crime. Joan Crawford plays the neighbor whose more than neighborly interest in murderer John Ireland leads to tragedy, bringing to the dramatic role the authority and conviction that have made her one of the first ladies of the screen. As the unstable man whose charm masks his violence, Ireland is frighteningly evil as he stalks his helpless prey. Also costarred is Leif Erickson as the father whose absence places his daughters in jeopardy. It is the minors in the cast, however, who in terms of screen time, play the major roles in this hair-raising shocker: Andi Garrett, 17, and Sarah Lane, 15, Castle’s two discoveries, are amazingly -appealing in their acting debuts, as is 9-year-old Sharyl Locke, already a veteran of three prior film roles. Based on Ursula Curtiss’ bestseller, “Out Of The Dark,” the taut screenplay of “I Saw What You Did!” is by able William McGivern. William Castle’s direction deftly handles the tingling suspense with swift strokes as the tension builds. Relinquishing the gimmicks for which he is justly famous, he lets the plausible story itself generate the chilling impact his picture delivers. Van Alexander’s original score unobtrusively aids the momentum, and Joseph Biroc’s cameras contrive to make of every shadow something sinister and evil. Mov:ie-goers of all ages will enjoy and become a part of the high-voltage terror and breathless suspense. What parent hasn’t worried about leaving off-spring alone at night? And what youngster hasn’t been guilty of making mischievous phone calls to unknown victims? Even the telephone company, which at first may be distressed at the miss-use of its services and the harrowing results, will agree that the frightening ending of “I Saw What You Did!” should make any youngster think twice before playing the ‘telephone game.” screen in William Castle’s suspense shocker, “I Saw What You Did!’’, a Universal picture. On the left is Sarah Lane, 15, and on the right is Andi Garrett, 17. In the story, they play the “telephone game,” calling people at random and saying “‘I saw what you did, and I know who you are!”’. (Still No. 1959-92 ) Joan Crawford Introduces New Hollywood Cinderellas In “1 Saw What You Did!” (Advance) Hollywood still has its Cinderellas. Just often enough to keep the dream alive, the magic lightning strikes some unknown, and suddenly a new name shines on theatre marquees everywhere. Newest and just about the youngest Cinderellas in some time are two lovely, lively teenagers who make their acting debuts in top roles with Joan Crawford and John Ireland in William Castle’s suspense chiller, “I Saw What You Did!”’, a Universal picturerwhich Opens.2. S22. 225... >. at the’ 25 Theatre. They are dark-haired Andi Garrett, 17, and blonde Sarah Lane, 15, and until the lightning struck, neither had ever given a thought to an acting career. Producer-director William Castle had covered 6,000 miles, interviewed nearly 400 girls, in a search for two new teen-aged faces for key roles in “I Saw What You Did!” only to find them virtually in his own back yard: Andi is a freshman at Pasadena City College; Sarah a 10th grader at Santa Monica High. Copyright 1965 — Universal Pictures Co., Inc Here’s how it happened. Castle spied Sarah’s photo in a newspaper as a semi-finalist in a “Miss L.A. Teen Age’’ contest. When she came in for an interview, she showed the moviemaker another ad for the contest which included Andi’s picture. When Castle asked the identity of “the pretty dark-haired girl,” Sarah, not knowing he was looking for two youngsters, launched a sales pitch which, for all she knew, might have cost her her own big chance. She had met Andi as a rival semi-finalist in the teen contest, and her enthusiasm was so contagious it set Universal’s casting office on a search for Andi who, it developed, lives in Arcadia. EXPOSED! (Current) Now it can be told. For Sarah Lane, lovely teenager seen with Joan Crawford and John Ireland in William Castle's suspense .chiller, =I Saw What You Did!” the role does not, as widely stated, mark her ‘acting debut.” The talented girl has pre viously appeared on TV—and in the nude! In a television commercial Sarah was seen sans wardrobe, as an “Ivory Soap Baby,” kicking up a storm of suds. She was one year old at the time, which was 14 years ago. “IT Saw What You Did!” a Universal picture, is now playing at the Theatre. Teenager In ‘1 Saw What You Did” Gets Role, Is Surprised (Advance) Sarah Lane is 15, blue-eyed and blonde, and in her first job interview she managed to demolish most of Hollywood’s rules on “How To Land A Movie Role.” And nobody’s half as surprised as Sarah that she makes her acting debut in a big role with Joan Crawford in William Castle’s suspense drama, “I Saw What You Did!” a Universal picture Openings oes ae NG kerr ee Theatre. A sophomore at Santa Monica High, Sarah was called by producer-director Castle who, after interviewing nearly 400 prospects, had seen her photo as a semifinalist in a “Miss L.A. Teenage” contest. At the vast Universal City Studios, Sarah took a wrong turn and was late reaching Castle’s office. It was a hot day, her new shoes were too tight, so she slipped them off — just as he came out to greet her, smiled and asked her into his office. “Bring your scrapbook,” Castle said, then added: “Did you plan to leave your new shoes out there?” “Do you mind if I carry them ?”’ she asked. “My feet hurt.” And she padded into his office. When she started to show him her scrapbook, the first few pages stuck together. “Those weren’t very good, anyhow,” Sarah said, and found some she could pry open. ‘“Here’s an ad with all the semi-finalists in the contest.” He looked at it, asked the identity of the pretty dark-haired girl. “That’s Andi Garrett’, said Sarah. ‘“She’s who you ought to be interviewing instead of me. Mr. Castle, I’m just a mess!” “Do you realize you may be giving her your big chance?” he asked. “But you should see her—you’d be crazy about her,’ Sarah enthused, and went into an excited sales pitch for the other girl. Not until she paused for breath did Castle tell her he was seeking two new faces. He promised to interview Andi, he did so, and both girls are in the picture. The suspense builds as John Ireland, butcher knife in hand, climbs the dimly lit stairs to murder Andi Garrett in William Castle’s suspense chiller, “I Saw What You Did!”, a Universal picture. (Still No. 1959-60) Page 2 Joan Crawford In 80th Role Stars In Castle's Suspense Film, 1 Saw What You Did!” (Advance) Few if any Hollywood stars can even approach the record of Oscar-winner Joan Crawford, who marks her 80th film during 40 years in pictures with her role in William Castle’s suspense chiller, “I Saw What You Did!,” a Universal picture Which Opens. 2 ne at the As one of America’s most widely-read columnists recently wrote: “Joan came to Hollywood in 1925 as Lucile Leseur, and she looks sharper now with her sleek figure and chic grooming than she did then... There isn’t a woman in pictures today who can equal Joan’s record.” Between Miss Crawford’s firstfound fame in such carefree tales of the jazz age as “Our Dancing Daughters” and the taut terror of her latest role in “I Saw What You Did!” her list of memorable . portrayals is as impressive for its wide variety as for its length. She was acclaimed as the garish Sadie Thompson of “Rain,” won the Academy Award as the too-trusting mother in ‘Mildred Pierce,’ and was hailed for her performance in “What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?” played almost entirely in a wheel-chair. fie Sawa hat Ou bial” Joan Crawford portrays an ardent widow whose more than neighborly relationship with the man next door (John Ireland) leads to a night of terror. It is an intense, unusual and for even an actress of her proven versatility, a challenging role, despite the fact that some of the less famed players have more footage in the film than Miss Crawford. In this connection, the Academy Award winner observes: “Tt’s not how many scenes you have—it’s the role that matters.” And an Oscar, 80 movies and millions of loyal fans would seem to indicate that Joan Crawford knows what she’s talking about. Saw What You Did’ Discovery Returns To Normal Routines (Current) What happens to a _ typical American family if one of its members is suddenly “discovered’’ by Hollywood and finds herself playing a top role in a movie with some of the screen’s most famous people? A girl like Andi Garrett, for instance, who makes her film debut with Joan Crawford and John Ireland in William Castle’s suspense drama, “I Saw What You Did!”’, a Universal picture now at Lines oes etereas teat Theatre. At 17, Andi lived with her parents, two sisters and a brother, in a modest home on a shady street in Arcadia, Calif., attended her freshman classes at Pasadena City College and dreamed of becoming an airlines stewardess. She’d never even been in a schoo] play. Then almost before she realized, Andi had passed her screen test and found herself before the cameras with Joan Crawford and the rest of the cast. Daily at 5:30 her mother roused Andi to get her to studio makeup by 7 and on the set by 9. There she had her own dressing room with her name on it, “just like I was already somebody,” she says. With “I Saw What You Did!” completed, with high praise and bright predictions from Miss Crawford and Castle, with other roles on the horizon for Andi, has the Garrett family returned to normal? Well, sort of. Andi still sees her best friend Susan nightly. She still dates the same boy friend and she may reenter college next term. Mrs. Garrett who, what with driving Andi to and from the studio and spending her days on the set, thought she’d never catch up with her housework, finally has. But the rest of the family, her father, two younger sisters and a brother — still has an aura of stardust about it. Theatre. Joan Crawford, in her 80th starring screen role, is murdered when she learns too much about her neighbor in William Castle’s suspense thriller, “I Saw What You Did!”, a Universal picture. (Still No. 1959-75) “Shockers” Aren't Horror Films, Says Movie-Maker Castle (Advance) Horror movies and ‘shockers’ aren’t the same thing at all. Not according to producerdirector William Castle, whcGse latest suspense drama, “I Saw What You Did!’’, a Universal picture starring Joan Crawford and ohn Ireland; OPCS = i.-c.-:c---c-tcsees at the Theatre. Castle, who has made many hit movies in both categories, explains: “Horror movies are about monsters or the supernatural, while a shocker concerns people with whom anyone can identify.” He cites “I Saw What You Did!” as a definitive shocker. “In it” Castle explains, “three youngsters left alone at night telephone people at random and leave mischievous messages. To one man they say: ‘I know who you are — and I saw what you did!’ Well, this fellow has just murdered his wife, so he sets out to find and silence the supposed witness to his crime. “Now, just about anybody can identify with somebody in this situation: parents who worry about leaving their children alone, teenagers who have played the telephone game, and people who have been pestered by anonymous calls. So this is a shocker, not about vampires or three-headed men, but about people like you, or your youngsters, or your parents,” says Castle. “You see a horror movie and you don’t expect to bump into a Frankenstein on the way home. But you see a shocker like this and find the phone ringing when you get home and you think: ‘I wonder— ?’” But for some reason, Castle neglected to mention just how he thought the telephone company might feel about “I Saw What You Did!” ON THE SPOT! (Current) “Silky,” a canine actor of uncertain ancestry, is so good —and so small—they changed a movie script to fit him. Up for a part at Universal in “I. Saw What You Did!” William Castle’s suspense drama starring Joan Crawford and John Ireland and now playing attheree 2 Theatre, Silky’s “audition” so impressed producer-director Castle that he promptly hired him, saying: “The dog in the script is called ‘Spot’, but change it to ‘Silky’. He’s so tiny that makeup couldn’t put spots on him.”