This week’s mystery movie has been the 1937 MGM picture “Night Must Fall,” with Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell, Dame May Whitty, Alan Marshal, Merle Tottenham and Kathleen Harrison, ominous music by Edward Ward, photographed by Ray June, directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Hunt Stromberg. The screenplay by John Van Druten was based on the play by Emlyn Williams, who also directed the Broadway and London versions and starred as Dan (renamed Danny in the film). Williams, who died in 1987, wrote about two dozen plays including, “The Corn Is Green.” His New York Times obituary is here.
“Night Must Fall” received 64 performances on Broadway in 1936 with Whitty as Mrs. Bramson and was revived in 1999 with a cast that included Matthew Broderick.
Frank S. Nugent of the New York Times wrote (April 30, 1937): “The picture is a sober, evenly modulated and definitely (sorry, Mr. Funk) unusual melodrama, sentiently directed and remarkably well-played.”
Nugent said of Rosalind Russell: “nor has Miss Russell been altogether convincing as the murder-hypnotized niece. Possibly a less aggressive, more mouse-like person would have suited the role better. I felt this part of the film lacked persuasion.”
Edwin Schallert of the Los Angeles Times wrote (May 6, 1937): ” ‘Night Must Fall’ is a thriller at Grauman’s Chinese and Loew’s State theaters, one of the strongest and most uncompromising features of its type…. Much has been lavished on this picture to make it worthwhile and clearly it is a rare novelty — outstanding in that respect during the season.” The film was co-billed Laurel and Hardy’s “Way Out West.
In the past, I have avoided movies that recently aired on TCM, but since I cut back on cable in January, I stopped following TCM’s (rather repetitive) programming. Evidently “Night Must Fall” aired Wednesday, but I had no idea.
“Night Must Fall” is available on DVD from Warner Archive for $16.99.
A program from the 1935 London production of “Night Must Fall” is available on EBay for 2.62 pounds.
For Monday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Merle Tottenham.
For Tuesday, we have another mystery woman.
Update: This is Kathleen Harrison.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mystery woman), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and mystery woman) and Jenny M. (mystery movie and mystery woman).
And for Wednesday, we have the third mystery woman in this mystery household.
Update: This is Dame May Whitty.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery woman) and Jenny M. (Tuesday’s mystery woman).
For Thursday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Rosalind Russell, doing her best to look plain.
Brain Trust roll call: Chrisbo (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Jenny M. (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and mystery guests), Candy Cassell (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery woman), Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Victor H. Brown (Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery women), David Inman (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Sheila (mystery movie and mystery guests) and Dan Nather (Wednesday’s mystery woman).
For Friday, we have a mystery gent and a rather mysterious piece of luggage. For some reason, a persistent officer of the law is making tiresome inquiries as to its contents.
Update: This is Robert Montgomery.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery woman), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie), Jenny M. (Thursday’s mystery woman), Gary Martin (mystery movie and mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery woman), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery woman), Beachgal (mystery movie and mystery guests), Benito (Thursday’s mystery woman), Sarah (mystery movie), Roget-L.A. (Thursday’s mystery woman), David Inman (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery woman), Candy Cassell (Thursday’s mystery woman), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast) and Dan Nather (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery woman).
ladailymirror.com 
Merle Tottenham in NIGHT MUST FALL (1937).
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Dorothy Adams.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Merle Tottenham in NIGHT MUST FALL 1937.
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Is it Sara Haden?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Looks like a young Anne Revere.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Merle Tottenham Night Must Fall (1937)
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Ruth Ford
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Eily Malyon?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Kathleen Harrison.
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Kathleen Harrison.
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Kathleen Harrison
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Joyce Grenfield
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Dame May Whitty on Wednesday?
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Dame May Whitty was in the London and New York stage presentations of NIGHT MUST FALL. Mathew Boulton was in all three. Kathleen Harrison originated her role in London but did not go to Broadway.
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Dame May Whitty
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Don’t lose your head Dame May Whitty.
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Dame May Whitty today.
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Today´s lady is the marvelous Dame May Whitty. She featured in so many of my favorite movies — Suspicion, Gaslight, The Lady Vanishes, Bill of Divorcement, and she was the magnificent rose grower Lady Belden in Mrs. Miniver.
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Wednesday is Julia Dean (I’m quite a Val Lewton fan).
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An interesting guess! But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Dame Mae Witty on Wednesday.
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Tuesday seems an odd shot of Kathleen Harrison. Wednesday could be Dame May Whitty.
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Dame May Whitty today?
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Merle Tottenham, Kathleen Harrison, Dame May Whitty in ‘Night Must Fall.’
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NIGHT MUST FALL (this was just on TCM the other day). Kathleen Harrison Monday and Merle Tottenham Tuesday.
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That’s Dame May Whitty today (Wednesday), but this film has me buffaloed . . .
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This week´s movie is ¨Night Must Fall.¨ I know because I am (unintentionally) cheating … I am watching it as I type, because I DVR´d it from Turner Classic Movies earlier this afternoon. (Coincidence, Larry? I think not!) So will tomorrow be Rosalind Russell or Robert Montgomery?
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Rosalind russell today.
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Night Must Fall
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Rosalind Russell
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The lady, Dame May Whitty, vanishes and turns up In Night Must Fall with Beryl Mercer, Merle Tottenham, and Roz (Russell, for those of you still mystified.).
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Where did Rosalind Russell get those glasses.
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Rob Russell in “Night Must Fall”
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Roz Russell on Thurs
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The film is probably Night Must Fall.
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Today Rosalind Russell looks frumpadelic
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Let me try again. The movie is “Night Must Fall” (1937).
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Is Thursday’s mystery woman Rosalind Russell?
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Today is Rosalind Russell, and that makes this “Night Must Fall.”
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Rosalind Russell was so beautiful and glamorous in “real life”, but in Hollywood “reel life” she was almost always dressed down. The message was that brainy capable women were plain. Good that she had roles like “Auntie Mame” to flaunt some style!
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Wen is probably May Whitty
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Monday is Merle Tottenham
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Tues is Kathleen Harrison
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It’s Night Must Fall (1937) w/Rosalind Russell, Dame May Witty, & Robert Montgomery
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That’s Rosalind Russell on Thursday, which means the film is NIGHT MUST FALL (1937), a film I haven’t revisited for years and years . . . or else I would have guessed it by now!
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Robert Montgomery today. I’ve seen the play, but never the movie.
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Friday is Rbt. Montgomery
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Good grief, “Night Must Fall.” A bowdlerized version was our high school senior play. My part (Hubert) was written out of the movie 😦
Still a competent thriller.
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Robert Montgomery has a special fetish.
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Robert Montgomery today, Ingrid Bergman yesterday, Rage in Heaven? Don’t know the others.
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Robert Montgomery on Friday. Don’t know the movie.
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