Marilyn Monroe's Gripping Role as a Babysitter in 1952's Don't Bother To Knock

Marilyn Monroe took on her first dramatic lead role in this 1950s psychological thriller based on a bestselling novel. Directed by Roy Ward Baker and released in 1952, Don’t Bother to Knock saw Monroe portray Nell Forbes, a young woman recently released from a mental institution who is trying to get her life back on track.

Her cousin Eddie Forbes, an elevator operator at the McKinley Hotel, arranges for Nell to babysit for Bunny, the child of guests Peter and Ruth Jones, which soon spirals out of control when cynical pilot Jed Towers (Richard Widmark) surveys Nell and realizes she is suffering from a severe psychological break.

Don’t Bother to Knock is based on crime fiction writer Charlotte Armstrong’s 1951 novel Mischief, which was a bestseller at the time of its release when it was first serialized in Good Housekeeping before being published as a standalone novel.

Anne Bancroft also stars in the film as Jed’s girlfriend and lounge singer Lyn Lesley, 15 years before her iconic turn as Mrs Robinson in The Graduate.

Speaking about her experience of working with Monroe at the time, Bancroft said: “It was a remarkable experience, because it was one of those very rare times in Hollywood when I felt the give and take that can only happen when you are working with good actors… There was just this scene of one woman seeing another who was helpless and in pain.

“It was so real, I responded. I really reacted to her. She moved me so that tears came into my eyes. Believe me, such moments happened rarely, if ever again, in the early things I was doing out there.”

Monroe took on the role after completing Clash by Night at the RKO in 1951, being sent the adapted screenplay while working with her home studio, 20th Century Fox.

The screenplay was written by Daniel Taradash, best known for scooping the 1953 Oscar for From Here to Eternity.

Baker was assigned to the project following the success of his 1950 World War II-themed hit Morning Departure, which drew international acclaim.

Don’t Bother to Knock was positively reviewed by critics, with a retrospective review from cuttothetake.com describing it as “one of the best performances by Marilyn Monroe.”

They added: “This is probably the furthest Monroe has ever been from playing a seductress. Her roles usually involve some kind of sex appeal. Yet she looks equally comfortable playing a tragic character with no charisma whatsoever. If anything, this film is definitive proof of what an incredible actress Monroe was.”

This story was originally published by Parade on Sep 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Movies section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.