This week’s mystery movie was the 1946 Twentieth Century-Fox film “Somewhere in the Night,” with John Hodiak, Nancy Guild, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Conte, Josephine Hutchinson, Fritz Kortner, Margo Woode, Sheldon Leonard and Lou Nova.
Screenplay by Howard Dinsdale and Joseph L. Mankiewicz, adapted by Lee Strasberg from a story by Marvin Borowsky.
Photography by Norbert Brodine, art direction by James Basevi and Maurice Ransford, set decorations by Thomas Little and Ernest Lansing, editorial supervision by James B. Clark, costumes by Kay Nelson, music by David Buttolph, musical direction by Emil Newman, orchestral arrangements by Arthur Morton, makeup by Ben Nye, special photographic effects by Fred Sersen, sound by Eugene Grossman and Harry M. Leonard.
Produced by Anderson Lawler, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
“Somewhere in the Night” is available on DVD from Amazon.
Writing in the New York Times (June 13, 1946), Bosley Crowther did not approve of such goings-on:
Apparently Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who directed and was one of the four that wrote (or is credited with the writing of) the Roxy’s new “Somewhere in the Night,” is an ardent admirer of Alfred Hitchcock, for in this, his first directorial job, there is manifest a striking imitation of Hitchcock’s hard-grained melodramatic style. His images are sharp and realistic in his picturization of bizarre episodes, his characters are vigorously presented and the movement of the whole is swift and taut. As a straight piece of melodramatic staging, this Twentieth Century-Fox film is all right.
But the story is a large-sized slice of hokum, starting off with the proposition that a veteran would be released from a naval hospital suffering from amnesia. And from this dubious point of departure, the yarn throws logic to the whistling winds as it recounts this veteran’s grim endeavors to find out who he is. Assuming that such a man would bother to endure the harsh resistance that he does, immediately he starts out to follow a thin trail of self-revealing clues, the likelihood of such titanic mysteries in re his person seems logically remote.
Exhibitors’ views were mixed. J.B. Stine, Terre Haute, Ind., said in the Motion Picture Herald (May 3, 1947): “Had this film epic never been made we would be a sizable sum of money ahead. Did less than 50 percent of normal business and those who came to see it are still squawking. Lay off this one, or trade it for a couple of newsreels.” W.J. Whitmore of Stanley, N.D. said in the Motion Picture Herald (May 10, 1947): “Very well done. Held audience attention throughout.”
For Monday, we have a mystery nurse. She approves of such goings-on.
Update: This is either Polly Rose or Paula Reid. Both actresses are so obscure that it’s impossible to find a comparison image for either of them.
For Tuesday, we have an arty mirror shot of a mystery woman. The hotel management would probably not approve of such goings-on.
The hotel management would definitely not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Margo Woode.
For Wednesday, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is Fritz Kortner.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and both mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” Tuesday’s mystery woman has a mysterious companion.
Update: This is Margo Woode and Sheldon Leonard.
We also have this mysterious gent.
Update: This is Lloyd Nolan.
And we also have this mysterious gent. And Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Harry/Henry Morgan with BOTHG John Hodiak.
And finally this mysterious gent….
Update: This is Whit Bissell.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guest).
For Friday, we have the mysterious leading woman and the mysterious second lead.
Update: This is Richard Conte and Nancy Guild.
And here is our mystery leading woman with our mysterious leading man.
Update: This is John Hodiak and Nancy Guild.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery bartender), Chrisbo (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Gary (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Charles Kjelland (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Rick (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Benito (Thursday’s mystery guests), Earl Boebert (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests) and Dan Nather (mystery movie and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests).
My immediate reaction was to think this image is from “High Barbaree” 1947, but June Allyson would seem to be too much of “Friday” or “Saturday” actor. I think I’ll go back to the drawing board.
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June Allyson would have been my first guess, if I didn’t know better. But, alas….
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I am reminded of June Allyson in The Girl in White and Peggy Dow in Harvey. I believe it is neither.
Neither? Neither?
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June would have gotten my vote too. If I didn’t know better…
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Is this Hazel Brooks today?
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An excellent guess, but alas I’m afraid not.
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SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT (1946)
Monday: Polly Rose
Tuesday: Margo Woode
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Eleanor Parker? Well, I did just watch The Sound of Music …
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Alas, I’m afraid not. 🙂
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Faye Emerson today?
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An excellent guess. But, alas…
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Miss Questionable Cleavage?
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Fritz Kortner.
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SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT. Polly Rose Monday, Margo Woode Tuesday, Sheldon Leonard, Lloyd Nolan, Harry (Henry) Morgan, BOTDGuy John Hodiak, and whit bissell (yay!)
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“Somewhere in the Night”
Monday – Polly Rose
Tuesday – Margo Woode
Wednesday – Fritz Kortner
Thursday – Ms. Woode, Sheldon Leonard, Lloyd Nolan, Harry Morgan, Whit Bissell
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The Thanksgiving quartet is Sheldon Leonard, Lloyd Nolan, Harry Morgan, and Whit Bissell. The movie is “Somewhere in the Night.”
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Margo Woode, Sheldon Leonard: Nancy Guild, Lloyd Nolan; John Hodiak, Harry Morgan; Whit Bissell.
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Whit Bissell as John the Bartender
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Are Thursday’s gents Sheldon Leonard, Lloyd Nolan, Harry Morgan and Whit Bissel in Somewhere in the Night?
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Let’s say Margo Wood, Lloyd Nolan, Sheldon Leonard, Harry (what’s his name) and Whit Bissell…with three more to come on Friday. Somewhere in the Night, one of whom is BOHG Guy John Hodiak,or is it…the other one. (Richard Conte.)
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Somewhere In the Night, Lloyd Nolan, Harry Morgan et al.
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Somewhere In The Night – today Lloyd Nolan, Harry Morgan, Whit Bissell
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Be thankful for this ALL STAR LINE UP! Lloyd Nolan, Henry Morgan and Whit Bissell.
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On Aha Thursday, a bunch of Aha’s:
Sheldon Leonard with Margo Woode, then Lloyd Nolan, then Henry AKA Harry Morgan, and then Whitner AKA Whit Bissel, all “Somewhere in the Night” in 1946.
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Omigosh . . . SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT (1946)
Monday: Paula Reid(?)
Tuesday: Nancy Guild
Wednesday: Fritz Kortner(?)
Thursday: Sheldon Leonard, Lloyd Nolan, Harry Morgan, Whit Bissell
Haven’t looked at this for a while . . . must get it out this weekend!
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Richard Conte and John Hodiak with Nancy Guild. Hodiak is buried to the right of Mabel Normand at Calvary Cemetery in East LA.
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Richard Conte, Nancy Guild, and John Hodiak
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Nancy Guild, Richard Conte; Richard Conte, Ms. Guild.
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