Night People

source: Night People

Night People

I always enjoy movies of the 1940's & 50's far more than today's films, one of the reasons being they had better stars then, this one is no exception, Gregory Peck and Broderick Crawford effortlessly carry the film, Peck in his usual solid 'hero' mode, and Crawford in his blustery, fast talking mode that he was a past master at! The supporting cast are all excellent, especially Buddy Ebsen adding a light touch of humour to the proceedings. The plot may have flaws, but most do, and what must be remembered is that back then they made movies to entertain, not be politically correct or push some woke agenda. Not over long, and a pleasure to watch!

I like Gregory Peck, Buddy Ebsen, and Broderick Crawford, but the Yankee game was the most exciting part of the movie. A US soldier is kidnapped, and his influential father comes to Berlin to make sure that his return is accelerated. I would do the same thing. Peck tries to put him on a guilt trip about an exchange of "innocent" people for his son. Sorry, but my son would come first. I wouldn't care if they exchanged Eisenhower for him; I want my kid, Joe. Now, if he went straight into the Russian sector with $100,000, I am sure he could have made a deal on his own. The plot is thinner than the margin of victory of the Yankees, but the film is watchable.

If you're a shoot 'em up blood and gutser, rock 'em, sock 'em kind of viewer, you're not going to like this movie. But if you like a thinking person's movie with a little suspense and mystery, you'll love it. I thought the acting was good all the way around especially by Peck and Crawford.

Maybe not a barn-burner, but definitely worth seeing because of Peck. The movie actually captures quite well the tradecraft and moral dilemmas of counterespionage, and the scenes between Peck and Crawford are first-rate. Berlin locations add to the authenticity of this forgotten little movie.

Gregory Peck plays a U.S. Army Provost caught up in exchanging a married couple wanted by Russians for a captured American soldier in "Night People," set in post-war Berlin. By today's standards, this film is on the talky side, with not much action. Although the script was nominated for an Oscar, it's problematic - the denouement was much too simple, for one thing. Broderick Crawford is the father of the captured soldier, and he does an excellent job. Rita Gam is Ricky, Peck's beautiful and feisty secretary. There are several TV faces as well: Buddy Ebsen, Walter Abel, and Max Showalter. Anita Bjork is "Hoffy," a woman who works for Peck yet may be playing both ends. But the film is really Peck's, who does a fantastic job creating an interesting, tough, passionate, decisive, and funny character. He's instantly both likable and admirable.