… a wicked sensation as the lonely girl in room 809!
An airline pilot pursues a live-in babysitter at his hotel and gradually realizes she is not as stable as perhaps she should be.
Don't Bother to Knock (1952) is a drama and thriller film directed by Roy Ward Baker, released on July 18, 1952 with a runtime of 1h 16m. It stars Richard Widmark, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Bancroft and Donna Corcoran. Viewers rate it 6.6 out of 10 across 172 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Don't Bother to Knock before you stream it.
Richard Widmark
as Jed Towers
Marilyn Monroe
as Nell Forbes
Anne Bancroft
as Lyn Lesley
Donna Corcoran
as Bunny Jones
Jeanne Cagney
as Rochelle
Lurene Tuttle
as Ruth Jones
Elisha Cook Jr.
as Eddie Forbes
Jim Backus
as Peter Jones
Verna Felton
as Mrs. Ballew
Willis Bouchey
as Joe the Bartender
Don Beddoe
as Mr. Ballew
Harry Bartell
as Bellboy (uncredited)
Directed by Roy Ward Baker, written by Charlotte Armstrong and Daniel Taradash, produced by Julian Blaustein.
Average viewer score of 6.6/10 from 172 ratings.
Just a couple of years back, I picked up this mammoth 17-film DVD collection of Marilyn Monroe's films for a really good price, only to find that the ridiculous way the discs were placed in the digipack basically ruined them, and after watching the movies the best that I could, I reluctantly had to part with it, hoping the set would soon be released at a decent price on the more resilient blu (as you can tell, I'm…
Reviewed on September 22, 2016
Nell Forbes was by far the darkest and most volatile character Marilyn Monroe had ever portrayed in her entire career. Written by Daniel Taradash and directed by Roy Ward Baker, Don't Bother To Knock - a chilling and uncommonly masterful film noir thriller - gives its viewers an up-close glimpse into the crevices of a deeply disturbed human soul. Need a babysitter ... anyone? Yet another five star oeuvre, Don't…
Reviewed on February 25, 2017
“Lyn” (Anne Bancroft) is an hotel crooner who is in love with, but recently dumped, airline pilot “Jed” (Richard Widmark) who has consequently repaired to his hotel room with a bottle whilst she (well, Eve Marley actually) serenades him via the PA system. Meantime, across the courtyard a couple are attending a swanky dinner and so have employed “Nell” (Marilyn Monroe) as their baby-sitter. It’s fairly safe to say…
Reviewed on March 6, 2026
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Don't Bother to Knock (1952) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of Don't Bother to Knock (1952) includes Richard Widmark, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Bancroft, Donna Corcoran and Jeanne Cagney. The film was directed by Roy Ward Baker. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Don't Bother to Knock was released on July 18, 1952 and runs for 1h 16m.
Don't Bother to Knock (1952) holds an average rating of 6.6 out of 10 from 172 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama and thriller films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Don't Bother to Knock trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
