grandmashep1

Although Rock Hudson did finally excel in comedy genre as well as his one laudable effort in "Giant," during the scene where he is one-on-one performing with Robert Lansing (playing the maintenance sergeant) Hudson comes off a poor second. The quiet power demonstrated by Lansing simply staggers the imagination and causes it to catch its breath. It was not just a case of "underplaying," but rather bringing forth such great depth to the role's character and demeanor. One of the most underrated of our excellent American actors, it is a shame we couldn't have seen Robert Lansing in many more, larger roles on the big screen in Hollywood's truly major films. What did the casting directors miss here? Much, in my opinion.

The old family retainer is played by Barbara Everest. She had a major role in "Gaslight" with Ingrid Bergman and also with a very young Angela Lansbury. Angela's real-life mother, Moyna MacGill (in a speaking role but uncredited)appears in "The Uninvited" as Mrs. Coatsworthy in the tobacconist's shop scene. Alan Napier (who appears in "The Uninvited" as dear Dr. Scott) in real life was a direct descendant of Charles Dickens as well as a cousin to England's Prime Minister of the late 1930's - Neville Chamberlain. Also, Donald Crisp who played Stella's grandfather in "The Uninvited" was a director in his early days in Hollywood and directed the famous silent Buster Keaton film in which Buster stands in one spot and allows a whole building to fall upon him, gauging his position to stand whereupon falls over him an open portal of that building.