Night Unto Night

source: Night Unto Night

Night Unto Night

I cannot believe this showed a rating of 5.8 when we watched it on 1/14/2022. Acting, DIrecting and Music were all excellent. The storyline was great, the sets used during filming were beautiful. I guess they didn't release it properly. This movie deserves a FAR HIGHER RATING! We thoroughly enjoyed this one!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The movie can be seen on YouTube. And is a marvellous classic... dramatic and full of story tension. Well made, beatiful photography, and a Reagan who is in his prime.

Viveca Linsfords is stunning. Combined with the extraordinary black and white cinematography by John Peveral Marley you have an exceptional visual paradise. It matters not that R Reagan sleep walks thru the entire film. I doubt he understood the character at all. I almost didn't watch this film because RR was the lead. His films have always left me flat. But I watched because one of reviewers stressed the visual. I am so glad I did. Even the plot is inconsequential to the enjoyment of the movie. This is a film noir hiding behind a simple plot line without the usual smoking gun. And it is still breathtaking. The beauty of a black and white shot by a real artist like Marley elevates this to major star status, even with the unremarkable cast with the exception of Ms. Linsfords. Thanks TCM!

On the east coast of Florida, epileptic scientist Ronald Reagan (as John Galen) rents a house from attractive, but loony, Viveca Lindfors (as Ann Gracy). The house comes with a maid, Lillian Yarbo (as Josephine), who seems to appear from a different movie. Ms. Lindfors' sexy sister, Osa Massen (as Lisa), visits Mr. Reagan, and he begins to become intrigued by Lindfors' tragic history - she thinks her dead husband "Bill" speaks to her. Broderick Crawford (as Shawn) is a believer. The "house" sets, location, photography, and direction are strengths. Reagan is thoroughly unconvincing, and the story is wastefully insufferable. ** Night Unto Night (1949) Don Siegel ~ Ronald Reagan, Viveca Lindfors, Broderick Crawford

Stunning photography and Don Siegel's direction make the most of an unusual overly melodramatic story starring Ronald Reagan as a scientist with epilepsy who goes to south Florida on doctor's orders and meets a young woman, (Viveca Lindfors) recently widowed, who is haunted by the voice of her dead husband. Reagan rents her slightly dilapidated beach mansion and experiences several epileptic episodes, but tries his best to keep his condition a secret. Broderick Crawford's role as an artist who lives close by verges on annoying as he goes on and on about art and life. Ossa Massen gives the film a boost as Lindfor's scheming, jealous sister who tries seducing Reagan and later drunkenly blurts out his secret when she realizes that she can't have him. The concluding hurricane arrives just in time, with all the main characters assembled for dinner in the creaky old mansion, and Reagan pushed to verge of suicide by the shame of his medical condition, while Lindfors begs him to reconsider.

Long before Dirty Harry, you can see the excellent film-making, where Ronald Reagan gives what I feel is an excellent performance-not corny, not the "super nice guy" that everyone remembers him by. This is a hard edged film. Broderick Crawford alone should be enough to get you to watch this one, but Vivica Lindfors and others are standout performers. SPOILER: Not to give too much away, but the film starts with Ronald showing up in Florida, to rent a home, so he can deal with his affliction, for which there is no treatment. Meeting Dr. Altheim, his first day there, almost floored me. The name is erie when heard, for me, as Mr. Ragan had just passed away when I saw this film.