Sleep, My Love

"...the most terrifying words a man ever whispered to a woman!"

1948 1h 37m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 53

ThrillerMysteryDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A woman wakes up in the middle of the night on board a train, but she can't remember how she got there. Danger and suspense ensue.

“...the most terrifying words a man ever whispered to a woman!”

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Cast

Claudette Colbert
Alison Courtland
Robert Cummings
Bruce Elcott
Don Ameche
Richard W. Courtland
Rita Johnson
Barby
George Coulouris
Charles Vernay
Queenie Smith
Grace Vernay
Ralph Morgan
Dr. Rhinehart
Keye Luke
Jimmie Lin

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Douglas Sirk
Writers: Leo Rosten, St. Clair McKelway
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

78 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Douglas Sirk, shot by Joseph A. Valentine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Rudy Schrager. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lynn Harrison shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Claudette Colbert and Robert Cummings and Don Ameche carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "...the most terrifying words a man ever whispered to a woman!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0040798 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 53 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Douglas Sirk directs. Joseph A. Valentine behind the camera. Rudy Schrager scores. Lynn Harrison cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

178 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Douglas Sirk, shot by Joseph A. Valentine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Rudy Schrager. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Lynn Harrison shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Claudette Colbert and Robert Cummings and Don Ameche carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "...the most terrifying words a man ever whispered to a woman!".
7IMDB entry: tt0040798 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 53 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Joseph A. Valentine
Original score: Rudy Schrager
Editing: Lynn Harrison
Runtime: 97 min · 1h 37m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Sleep, My Love (1948)

Also by

Douglas Sirk

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-07-09
★ 7/10
This is quite an effective little mystery that reminded me at times of "Gaslight" (1944). Claudette Colbert wakes up, suddenly, on a train without any idea how she got there. Repatriated with her husband "Richard" (Don Ameche) she continues to have dizzy spells, increasingly frequent moments of disorientation; she even seems to try to commit suicide. Luckily for her, "Bruce" (Robert Cummings) is on hand to try and fathom out what's happening to her. Is it all in her imagination, or are more sinister machinations afoot...? Douglas Sirk manages well to build a sense of suspense, and both Colbert and a particularly seedy Cummings help the plot develop into a decent, psychological drama that has a fair degree of jeopardy to it - right until the end. Keep an eye out for an early example of Raymond Burr doing his detective bit, and Rudy Schrager's score adds richness as the tension mounts.

Production companies