NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

edwagreen Fine acting by our future president and Viveca Lindfors adds to the drama of this 1949 film.This is one of Reagan's best performances, next to "King's Row," of 1942. As the scientist suffering with epilepsy, who meets a woman (Lindfors) who can't get over her husband's death in World War 11, Ronald Reagan gives a searing performance, as a man hesitant to fall in love with death hanging over his head. Lindfors pulls out all the stops as the grieving widow in this melodrama.In the year that he won the best actor Oscar for "All the King's Men," Broderick Crawford shows up in the film in a supporting role as an artist friendly with the Reagan character. He did not seem comfortable in the part due to his persona of playing tough, gritty individuals in films. His painter role with children married to Rosemary De Camp, just doesn't seem to fit the bill here.There is a terrific supporting performance by Osa Massey as Lindfor's brooding, drunk, and nasty sister. She will stop at nothing to hurt her sister and even say things that could lead to our scientist killing himself.The ending hurricane scene is appropriate for if we can come out of this fierce storm, we can conquer anything. A touching movie not letting a serious illness get in the way of finding true love.

jarrodmcdonald-1 The film is drenched in atmospheric touches. It hits like a heavy stick that is thick on the outside and somewhat hollow in the center. Reagan's character is in most of the scenes, but this is not a man's picture, it's a woman's picture, so ultimately everything that happens to him has to affect Lindfors' character. He will sacrifice himself in the end for her own good.The supporting characters, played by Brod Crawford and Rosemary DeCamp, are more balanced and finely played. But some of Crawford's speechifying gets too heavy-handed and the philosophical pontificating doesn't stop with him, because the screenwriter sees fit to insert the same ponderous thoughts in the dialogue of others. Some films need a philosophical slant and a slight bit of preachiness the audience may need to hear, but it shouldn't come from all sides, bombarding the viewer to the point where it overtakes one's enjoyment of the story.There are some good scenes with children and another good scene with a barking dog that give the whole affair added extra layers. The actress who plays the Negro maid is excellent, bringing her part vibrantly to life with her realness offsetting the clichés. It's easy to understand why some of the improvisation which occurs between her and Crawford was left in the movie. Some of the hurricane shots seemed to resemble ones the studio used in KEY LARGO, but they were edited in wisely, and the storm simulated in the studio, complete with palm tree branches banging against the windows was for the most part convincingly staged. There's another scene, earlier on the beach, where we are given a vital piece of information concerning something that happened in the past, which is intercut with horses' hooves. This suggests a symbolism that might have been more detailed in the novel and was only casually alluded to in the script.Yet it's the storm sequence that has the most impact. Everything builds to it. After the elongated speeches and gradual revelations, the picture ends dramatically, just short of the main character's death. But we are told earlier death is not an end, and it seems interesting to watch performers who are long dead now, talking about life after death.

blanche-2 Someone missed the boat here, but I'm not sure where it all went wrong. Ronald Reagan, Viveca Lindfors, Broderick Crawford, Rosemary DeCamp and Osa Massen star in "Night Unto Night," a 1949 psychological drama directed by Don Siegel.The story concerns a scientist, John Galen (Reagan) who rents a house in South Florida owned by a widow, Ann (Lindfors) who believes she hears her husband's voice. She continues to mourn her husband and can't embrace life; Galen has been told he has epilepsy and has taken the house to work and try to deal with his situation.Filmed mostly on sets, despite the beautiful cinematography, a lot of scenes look fake. The photography does give the film a brooding atmosphere.There are some interesting metaphysical, "today" ideas tossed around in the script, but the dialogue is pretentious, not at all like normal people speak. Also, epilepsy here seems to be treated as almost a death sentence or at least a communicable disease. Perhaps back in 1949 that's how it was viewed.Reagan, a pleasant actor, didn't have a great range and was much better in comedy. He seems miscast here, and the role didn't play to his main assets, which were charm and a genial presence.Viveca Lindfors was brought over from Sweden as the next Ingrid Bergman; it came as a surprise when husband Don Siegel made a name for himself when he directed "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" when she was supposed to be the star. Despite being beautiful and a wonderful actress, she never made it to the top tier. The actresses who were part of the foreign influx post-war: Alida Valli, Valentina Cortese, Maria Schell, Hildegarde Knef, Mai Zetterling -- all met similar fates. Of all of them, Lindfors was the only one who stayed in America and worked, in film, television, and on the stage - until her death in 1995.A bizarre film, with spirited performances by Lillian Yarbo, Rosemary DeCamp, Osa Massen, and Broderick Crawford.

fimimix "Night Unto Night" - really don't understand what the title has to do with the plot, but it sounds nice. Director Siegel does what he can with a very weak script from Kathryn Scola...she must have a writer who helped doctor other scripts. The movie was not long enough to really get such a heavy plot off the ground. Yet, I enjoyed it, after watching "Kings Row" preceding it.......one of TCM's all-day-all-night "tributes" to Ronald Reagan ("John Galen"). "Kings Row" was far better, because Reagan was much younger for that role. Still handsome for "Night," the couple of scenes in which he had a happy demeanor were not strong enough to convince us that his helping a lovelorn lady back to happiness were enough.Viveca Lindfors ("Ann Gracy") was very good in the movie. None of the other commentors mentioned the age-old cure for ALL love-problems is that itself: love. She found it quickly for "Galen", but Reagan didn't have the ability to portray his morbidity and suicidal intentions, although he was in love with her. The house he rented - in which she heard her dead husband's voice, at the beginning - would make almost anyone with neurotic problems quickly descend into deep funk.It didn't help any with nasty vamp Osa Massen ("Lisa") throwing herself at "John", especially she being "Ann's" sister. I liked Broderick Crawford ("C Shawn") as a neighbor-painter; Rosemary DeCamp ("Thalia Shawn") was her usual, complete character. Art Baker ("Dr. Poole"), was on the scene to help "John" with his illness (epilepsy); his role was well-played.The moody cinematography was very appropriate for this intended-to-be dark story....the tale just didn't get dark enough. With what we know now about hurricanes (Southerners have known about them forever), they don't just blow-up all-of-a-sudden. With all the characters - even the kids - assembled for a dinner party, the storm battered the old house right on the seashore. It was also during the storm which "Ann" gives her life-saving love-plea, and "Night Unto Night" quickly ends with the lovers in each others arms. Both cured, I guess....not good, not bad.....gives an older person an indication of Reagan's descent from a robust President of The USA, in real life, into total dotage. Sad.....