Following the Labor Day Holiday weekend, which included eleven films, the film festival switched to a simpler format of two films per day. Bernard Hermann's musical scores were a major asset to both films. This was especially true of John Brahm's "Hangover Square."

Laird Cregar's initial enthusiasm for the production faded when the 20th Century Fox brass significantly revised Patrick Hamilton's novel. The book was set in contemporary London. Barre Lyndon's screenplay reworked the material to capitalize on the success of Cregar's previous film "The Lodger." The time frame of "Hangover Square" was changed from 1939 to 1903. The lead character of George Harvey Bone was not suffering from a series of alcohol induced blackouts, but from periods of amnesia triggered by loud discordant noises. The production included several actors and crew members who had worked on "The Lodger." Bernard Hermann's musical contributions to the film were magnificent.

The unhappy Cregar quarreled with the director (John Brahm) and the studio. He was put on suspension for a time. He never lived to see the premiere of "Hangover Square" as he died shortly after the production wrapped.

Laird Cregar was dissatisfied with his career due to typecasting. He wanted to reinvent himself as a romantic matinee idol. He put himself on an extreme diet. He may also have relied upon of large doses of amphetamines. He lost over one hundred pounds in the process, but the shock to his system was too much. His premature death at the age of thirty-one was due to heart failure.

Some films serve as social documents that capture images of how earlier generations used to live. Product placements, set furnishings, household appliances and motor vehicles all serve to capture a look at how American society used to function. Alfred Hitchcock filmed much of "The Wrong Man" on location in New York City. I was surprised at how remarkably clean and the subways appeared to be in 1956. Henry Fonda's lead character used public transit to commute to and from work. There was even a coffee shop operating in the subway station. There was no graffiti or garbage to be seen in the subways.

It was a rare treat to see a superlative actor like Henry Fonda acting in a Hitchcock film. I had not seen "The Wrong Man" in many years.