old movie title

November 13, 2007 10:24 AM

I'm trying to find the title of a movie which frightened me as a child (40's/50's) In the movie, a young girl's mother has died & she has nightmares or fantasies about a killer who wears a feather. At the climax she sees the shadow of that feather coming for her & it turns out to be a lady's hat(the woman who is about to become her evil stepmother)maybe played by Bette Davis? & she is saved by her father.

I had nightmares about this movie & have tried unsuccessfully over the years to find out more about it. Have searched all the movie sites & google & asked all the movie buffs I've known. Does anyone know this movie?

posted by comfortinsound to media & arts (5 comments total)

I am looking now without much luck.

Are you sure its a movie and not a television episode?
posted by ian1977 at 10:36 AM on November 13, 2007

Is it Shadow on the Wall?

Meanwhile, the shocked little girl Susan is seen in a children's hospital, where she's become rather withdrawn. In her mind she sees a "shadow on the wall" which she can't quite make out (not realizing that it was her raincoated, "feather hatted" step Aunt Dell)...
posted by iconomy at 10:55 AM on November 13, 2007

It's Shadow on the Wall. Fun fact: Nancy Reagan played the part of the psychiatrist. Back then she was billed as Nancy Davis.
posted by Soda-Da at 2:51 PM on November 13, 2007

Back then she was billed as Nancy Davis.

Since the movie came out in 1950, and she and Ronald married in 1952, it would have been a bit odd to have billed her as "Reagan," don't you think?
posted by cerebus19 at 3:40 PM on November 13, 2007

This movie scared the crap out of me as well. I saw it with cousins, so I was probably up too late while parents had a card party. My first plot twist - I looked at shadows with foereboding all thru early grade school.
Thanks for reminding me.
posted by readery at 7:12 PM on November 13, 2007