Screaming Mimi (1958)

Screaming Mimi (1958)

„Screaming Mimi“ is a 1958 film noir thriller film directed by Gerd Oswald. The screenplay by Robert Blees is based on the 1949 novel of the same name by  Fredric Brown.

In Laguna Beach, California, beautiful Virginia Weston and her dog run from the beach to the bathhouse outside her cottage. An escapee from a nearby mental facility stalks Virginia. The man stabs the dog which cries out and attacks the terrified Virginia. Virginia’s screams alert her brother in his nearby cottage. He grabs his rifle and kills the attacker.

Virginia, suffering from shock, is recovering in a sanitarium. Psychiatrist Dr. Greenwood, who is treating Virginia, is enamored with her. He declares her cured and takes her from the sanitarium. They change her name to Yolanda Lange, and she becomes an exotic dancer at the El Madhouse Night Club, owned by Joann „Gypsy“ Masters. Dr Greenwood, now Mr. Green, acts as her manager and maintains close control of all her activities.

One night, Bill Sweeney, a reporter who covers night clubs, visits El Madhouse and is mesmerized by Yolanda. Joann takes Bill backstage to meet Yolanda. In Yolanda’s dressing room, Bill is intrigued by Yolanda and by a nude statue of a frightened, screaming woman. Green enters and quickly dismisses Bill. He reaffirms his control over Yolanda, ordering her to follow his orders carefully.

That night, as Yolanda walks home with Devil, her huge Great Dane, she is attacked by a knife wielding man who slashes her stomach. Bill arrives at the scene to find Yolanda being taken away in an ambulance.

Bill reviews the file about the murder of a dancer, Lola Lake, who was killed by „The Slasher“. In a photo of Lola, the „screaming woman“ statue lies next to her body. Bill visits Yolanda in the hospital. She denies ever having the statue. Bill visits the shop of Raoul Reynardi who sells the statues. Reynardi says the statues, called Screaming Mini, are made by sculptor Charlie Weston. Bill buys Reynardi’s last statue. He searches Yolanda’s dressing room but does not find her statue.

Yolanda skips a party at the El Madhouse. Bill finds her walking the dog on the street where she was attacked. They go to his apartment where she stays the night. Bill wants her to live with him. She can get her things from her apartment, and he will meet her there. Green is at the apartment when Bill arrives. Yolanda has become distant and unresponsive to Bill. He leaves.

Bill meets with Weston, the sculptor of the statue. Weston tells him about the attack on Virginia and her hospitalization. Bill thinks that the statue has some link to the murder of Lola. He has a picture of the statue printed in the paper.

The police tap Yolanda’s room. They hear Green enter and chastise her for keeping the statue that is deeply fixed in her mind as part of her mania in association with the attacker. Her murder of Lola was a response to Lola’s possession of the statue. Green finds the statue and attacks Yolanda to help her release her feelings. She sets the dog on him. Green jumps back from Devil and crashes through the window. As Green lies dying on the sidewalk, he falsely tells Bill and the police that he killed Lola.

Virginia has run away with the dog. Bill tracks her to a cheap hotel. Bill confronts her with her real name, Virginia Weston. Lola had a statue, and Virginia killed her. She sets the dog on him. The police arrive and subdue Devil. As the police take Virginia to an ambulance, she lapses into an unresponsive, trance-like state. Bill leans forlornly against a lamppost.

Cast:

• Anita Ekberg – Virginia Wilson aka Yolanda Lang
• Philip Carey – Bill Sweeney
• Gypsy Rose Lee – Joann „Gypsy“ Masters
• Harry Townes – Dr. Greenwood aka Bill Green
• Linda Cherney – Ketti
• Romney Brent – Charlie Weston
• Red Norvo – Red Yost
• Red Norvo Trio – Red Norvo Trio

„Die blonde Venus“ (Screaming Mimi) ist ein Film-Noir-Krimi von 1958 unter der Regie von Gerd Oswald. Das Drehbuch von Robert Blees basiert auf dem gleichnamigen Roman von Fredric Brown aus dem Jahr 1949.

In Laguna Beach, Kalifornien, laufen die schöne Virginia Weston und ihr Hund vom Strand zum Badehaus vor ihrer Hütte. Ein Ausbrecher aus einer nahe gelegenen psychiatrischen Anstalt stellt Virginia nach. Der Mann sticht auf den Hund ein, der aufschreit und die verängstigte Virginia angreift. Virginias Schreie alarmieren ihren Bruder in seiner nahe gelegenen Hütte. Er schnappt sich sein Gewehr und tötet den Angreifer.

Virginia, die unter Schock steht, erholt sich in einem Sanatorium. Der Psychiater Dr. Greenwood, der Virginia behandelt, ist in sie verliebt. Er erklärt sie für geheilt und holt sie aus dem Sanatorium. Sie ändert ihren Namen in Yolanda Lange und wird eine exotische Tänzerin im El Madhouse Night Club, der Joann „Gypsy“ Masters gehört. Dr. Greenwood, jetzt Mr. Green, fungiert als ihr Manager und kontrolliert alle ihre Aktivitäten.