In 1941 Carole starred in the film noir I Wake Up Screaming. Carole is Vicky Lynn, an ambitious starlet who is killed by a mystery man. She was under contract at Fox when she made the movie. Betty Grable plays Vicky's sister Jill who must solve her murder. Most of Carole's scenes are flashbacks since her character dies early in the film. Betty and Carole also worked together in Moon Over Miami but they did not get along with each other. The cast includes Victor Mature, Laird Cregar, and Allyn Joslyn. Carole and Victor were friends and they also costarred in One Million B.C. and My Gal Sal. I Wake Up Screaming was filmed at Fox Studios from July 21 until August 25, 1941 and retakes were filmed in September.
The movie was directed by H. Bruce Humberstone. Before filming began Carole's dentist spilled silver nitrate on her lips so they were blue for three weeks. The costumes were designed by Gwen Wakeling. In the movie Carole sings a song titled "The Things I Love". I Wake Up Screaming was based on the novel by Steve Fisher. The original title for the movie was "Hot Spot" and it was released in England with that name. The movie was released on October 31, 1941 and it was re-released on August 1, 1948. It was remade in 1953 with the title "Vicki". I Wake Up Screaming was a box-office success and it got great reviews. A lot of critics said that Carole's haunting performance stole the movie from Betty.
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Variety said of I Wake Up Screaming "Most murder mysteries are B's regardless of budget, but this one is an exception to the rule. The director, H. Bruce Humberstone, has been equipped with a good script [from Steve Fisher's novel] and from his cast has obtained results that are all that may be asked in a murder meller with a romantic strain of more than ordinary strength. Victor Mature plays in a tougher groove than usual. This time he's a sports promoter who is dogged by a detective who loses his girl (Carole Landis) when Mature takes her from obscurity and glamourizes her to the point where she wins a film contract. The murder of this girl then provides the premise for the remainder of the yarn. Betty Grable is enormously appealing here as the sister of the slain girl. Dwight Taylor, who did the script, has dotted it with trenchant dialog. There isn't much comedy, but no more than the few laughs included are needed in this instance. Force of the melodramatic and romantic features of the yarn is sufficient."
* I Wake Up Screaming is available on DVD
Vicky Lynn: "A bed of tulips nodding in the breeze. The look you give me in answer to my pleads. These are the things I love."
