Richard Widmark,
Marilyn Monroe,
Anne Bancroft,
Donna Corcoran,
Jeanne Cagney
... see more 
Sex symbol Marilyn Monroe went dramatic in 1952's Don't Bother to Knock. Monroe plays Nell Forbes, a beautiful but suicidal young woman, recently released from a mental institution. She doesn't mentio... read more
DVD Release Date: May 14, 2002
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Stats: 184 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (184)
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September 12, 2011this probably is monroe's best performance, playing an unstable character very close to the edge and she is genuinely scary. richard widmark gives great support as a frustrated guy just trying to make time whose cynicism grows into compassion. and anne bancroft looks smashing i... read more
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November 7, 2010Monroe's best performance if you ask me, and Widmark gives a great performance as well along with her. The story is great it's dramatic and exciting. I highly recommend this movie.
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June 28, 2010I think this movie is best experienced if you don't know it's a thriller at all. The slow progression of madness that takes over Marilyn Monroe is incredible. I love that it starts out like a romantic comedy or drama and then has Nell the babysitter from hell tying up children an... read more
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June 22, 2010Whoa. Marilyn Monroe freaked me out!! I didn't even know she could act! Hah! I'm impressed there was acting and I did like the story especially for 1952. A good psycho story always does me well. I liked it and it drew me in from the very beginning. I'd totally watch this again, i... read more
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March 27, 2007interesting early marilyn, richard widmark is always good. anne bancroft's first movie
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February 21, 2011From what I read, this movie was the ploy to stay within the studio contract system but show them that Monroe could act. I never thought of Monroe as being a prop or fashion sucker (credit ATR) as much as a tragic figure from a messed up upbringing that was able to use the Hollyw... read more
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January 4, 2011B-grade dialogue delivered by A-list stars. Not a bad way to spend an hour and fifteen minutes. Richard Widmark is especially interesting to watch.
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August 7, 2010A film that quite possibly showcased Monroe playing herself, especially late in her career. Nell was unstable and not able to handle the pressures of the outside world (hence the metaphor of being a sort of live-in nanny, cut off from the rest of the world but protected as well).... read more
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October 21, 2009Solid thriller with a very insightful performance from Marilyn Monroe, Richard Widmark does a fine job as well. It always held my interest and wasn't predictable. Well done.
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June 4, 2009Marilyn Monroe can really act and this movie proves it . I've never seen her play such a dark and disturbed character before ( not even in Niagra ) .
Critic Reviews
February 15, 2011
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
October 10, 2008
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
A snappy little 76-minute, black-and-white item, this film noir dared to look at the dark side of Monroe's giggly sex appeal. Full Review
October 7, 2004
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
Monroe goes borderline-psycho in an enjoyable thriller
July 25, 2003
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Drama realizado para provar que Monroe era boa atriz, é até bem sucedido em certo grau, pois ela desempenha razoavelmente bem seu papel. O problema é que o roteiro não desenvolve muito a história, que...
May 26, 2007
Susan Granger, www.susangranger.com
No review available.
July 30, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
No review available.
July 8, 2003
Michael Szymanski, Zap2it.com
No review available.
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Don't Bother to Knock
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