This week’s mystery movie was the 1947 RKO film The Long Night, with Henry Fonda, Barbara Bel Geddes, Vincent Price, Ann Dvorak, Howard Freeman, Moroni Olsen, Elisha Cook Jr., Queenie Smith, David Clarke, Charles McGraw, Patty King and Robert A. Davis.
Screenplay by John Wexley.
Based on a story by Jacques Viot.
Music composed and directed by Dimitri Tiomkin.
Produced by Robert and Raymond Hakim and Anatole Litvak.
Photographed by Sol Polito.
Production designer Eugene Lourie.
Production manager Sam Ruman.
Assistant director Aaron Rosenberg.
Set decorations by Darrell Silver.
Special effects by Russell A. Cully.
Sound by Richard Van Hessen and Clem Portman.
Edited by Robert Swink.
Production assistant H. de Schulthess.
Makeup by Layne Britton.
Costume design by Renie.
Directed by Anatole Litvak.
Further information on The Long Night is available from the AFI Catalog.
The Long Night is available on DVD from Amazon.
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As the Brain Trust realized, The Long Night is an American remake of last week’s mystery movie, Daybreak (Le Jour Se Leve). In fact, The New York Times review of a previous mystery movie, Singapore, appeared on the same page as the review of The Long Night, and so here we are. Daybreak is a far superior film. Henry Fonda doesn’t come close to matching Jean Gabin in looks or brooding intensity.
Bosley Crowther said: (September 17, 1947):
It is not very likely that many who see The Long Night will know that it is based on an old French picture, Daybreak, which had Jean Gabin as its star. But it is — and we mention the connection because Daybreak, while not a sterling film, was in every respect superior to this new job, now on the Palace screen — which fact is a pertinent reflection upon the standard techniques of Hollywood….
….Mr. Litvak’s production is an obvious theatrical fake, exposed by its own pretensions and over-talked John Wexler script. And a layout of flashy performances do not match the French originals. Henry Fonda, while moody and pathetic as the holed-up fugitive, is not the wrath-tortured killer that Mr. Gabin was in the role, while Barbara Bel Geddes as his girlfriend is much less vexatious than just plain sweet. Vincent Price is too utterly precious for a honky-tonk entertainer and Ann Dvorak acts slightly silly as a heartbroken vaudeville girl.
For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Davis Roberts.
For Tuesday, we have a mysterious girl.
Update: This is Melinda Byron (Patty King).
Brain Trust roll call: B.J. Merholz (Monday’s mysterious fellow) and Sylvia (Monday’s mystery fellow).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Elisha Cook Jr.
Brain Trust roll call: Sylvia (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious girl) and B.J. Merholz (mysterious movie).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a woman of great mystery and Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Ann Dvorak and Henry Fonda as Back of the Head Guy.
And a most mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Vincent Price.
Brain Trust roll call: Megan and Thom (Wednesday’s mysterious fellow), Sheila (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery gent), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Norman Desmond (Monday’s mysterious fellow), Greg (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Stacia (mystery movie and Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia (Wednesday’s enigmatic fellow).
For Friday, we have our mysterious leading man.
Update: This is Henry Fonda.
And our mysterious leading lady.
Update: This is Barbara Bel Geddes.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery movie and all mysterious guests), Greg (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests plus Back of the Head Guy), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Sarah (mystery movie, Thursday’s mysterious fellow and Back of the Head Guy), Sylvia (Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Guy), L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Chrisbo (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Mark G. (Thursday’s mysterious gent), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mysterious guests), Roget-L.A. (Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Guy), Lorenzo (Thursday’s mystery gent) and Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Thursday’s mysterious guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Is Davis Roberts a good guess, but alas?
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Is this possibly from “Sullivan’s Travels”?
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An interesting guess! But alas, I’m afraid not.
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It sure looks like a young Flip Wilson, though I doubt it is. He does look very familiar, though.
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Alas, not Flip Wilson….
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I think that Monday’s young man is a very young Davis Roberts. So, going with that notion, my guess will be Knock on any Door 1949.
Monday’s really early for me to even come close though. Will await Tuesday’s image.
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Will throw in No Way Out 1950 as a guess along with Knock on any Door.
Could swear we’ve had “…Out” in the “Mysteri-ous” past though. Hmmm… I also tend to fall down rabbit holes in this game, so could be that I’m recalling one of those moments when on the hunt for some other film.
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Is our guest Roscoe Lee Browne?
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An interesting guess, but alas, not this time.
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Matthew beard and BROKEN STRINGS.
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An interesting guess! But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Ha! Just realized it’s the American version of last week’s movie.
The Long Night 1947
Mon – Davis Roberts
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Tuesday – Melinda Byron
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Very clever. Day breaks again after a long night.
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Today’s guest is Elisha Cook Jr..
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Elisha Cook Jr. in The Long Night?
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Could Wednesday’s mysterious fellow be Elisha Cook Jr.?
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Wednesday’s mysterious fellow is Elisha Cook Jr. in “The Long Night” (1947) with Davis Roberts on Monday and Melinda Byron on Tuesday.
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Davis Roberts?
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Elisha Cook, Jr. for Hm Wednesday?
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Elisha cook Jr. Today.
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Wednesday is the unmistakable Elisha Cook Jr. and this is THE LONG NIGHT (1947) and that’s Davis Roberts on Monday. All week I’ve been thinking Monday’s mystery actor was someone I knew from “Star Trek” and Roberts WAS in “Star Trek” but not in the role I was remembering! He gets stuffed in a tube along with fellow scientist Jason Wingreen, ha.
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Wednesday – Elisha Cook Jr
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Elisha Cook Jr. on Wednesday. This looks like “The Long Night.” Monday’s child is Davis Roberts and Tuesday is Melinda Byron. Am waiting patiently for Vincent Price.
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The movie is The Long Night.
Back of the Head guy is Henry Fonda and his floozie is Ann Dvorak. Vincent Price is also present along with about a zillion other familiar faces from the 30s, 40s and 50s.
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THE LONG NIGHT. Davis Roberts Monday, Shirley Jean Rickets Tuesday, Cook Wednesday, and Ann Dvorak snd Vincent Price today.
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It’s the Long Night, 1947. Henry Fonda and Vincent Price today.
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Thursday – #1 Ann Dvorak and BOTHG Henry Fonda
#2 Vincent Price
I wondered which image you were going to pick for Mr Price. There’s that IMDb “squishy face” of him after his fall down the stairs. But in fairness, Thursday’s mystery image should probably not be so cagey I guess. I also wondered if you were going to include the Teddy with the sad eye/happy eye. His character made it into both films (though not the same ‘actor’)
I found a “preview” radio version. The program had Fonda, Bel Geddes, Price and Dvorak. For a “preview” I thought it surprisingly went pretty far into the story.
Have enjoyed learning about both films.
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The Long Night (1947) w/Davis Roberts, Elisha Cook Jr, Henry Fonda, Ann Dvorak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Vincent Price, Melinda Byron…
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Aha! The Long Night. Davis Roberts, Melinda Byron, Elisha Cook Jr, Henry Fonda and Ann Dvorak, Vincent Price.
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Thursday’s mystery man is Vincent Price.
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Davis Roberts, Elisha Cook, Henry Fonda and Ann DVORAK in THE LONG NIGHT.
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For Thursday: Vincent Price, Ann Dvorak, and Henry Fonda as newsboy-cap-wearing, cigarette-smoking, back-of-the-head guy.
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Thursday’s BOTH is Henry Fonda, the showgirl, Ann Dvorak, and a jolly Vincent Price for added spice.
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Today’s is Vincent Price…..you are a sly one Larry Harnisch!
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Our movie is The Long Night with Vincent Price and Ann Dvorak.
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Henry Fobda Wednesday and today, along with Barbara bel Geddes.
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Fri – Henry Fonda and Barbara Bel Geddes
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Our movie is 1947’s The Long Night, with Henry Fonda for Friday.
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Henry and Barbara.
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