Night Has a Thousand Eyes
| Night Has a Thousand Eyes | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Farrow |
| Screenplay by | Barré Lyndon Jonathan Latimer |
| Produced by | Endre Bohem |
| Starring | Edward G. Robinson Gail Russell John Lund Virginia Bruce |
| Cinematography | John F. Seitz |
| Edited by | Eda Warren |
| Music by | Victor Young |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 81 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.9 million[1] |
| Box office | $1.5 million (US rentals)[2] |
Night Has a Thousand Eyes is a 1948 film noir, starring Edward G. Robinson and directed by John Farrow. The screenplay was written by Barré Lyndon and Jonathan Latimer. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Cornell Woolrich.[3]
Synopsis
The film opens in New Orleans, where John Triton (Robinson) is "The Mental Wizard", a nightclub fortune teller. During a show one evening, Triton suddenly urges an audience member to rush home, cautioning that her son is in danger. As the story unfolds, Triton struggles with his new-found psychic ability, as all of his relentlessly bleak predictions prove accurate. Jerome Cowan (of Maltese Falcon fame) plays Whitney Courtland, Triton's best friend, who becomes wealthy using tips from the now-psychic Triton.
Cast
- Edward G. Robinson as John Triton 'The Mental Wizard'
- Gail Russell as Jean Courtland
- John Lund as Elliott Carson
- Virginia Bruce as Jenny Courtland
- William Demarest as Lt. Shawn
- Richard Webb as Peter Vinson
- Jerome Cowan as Whitney Courtland
Reception
Critical response
The film is generally praised for its gloomy adaptation of Woolrich's writing. In his book Art of Noir, Eddie Muller writes: "No film more faithfully captured Woolrich's sense of doomed predestination than Night Has a Thousand Eyes."
Time Out Film Guide, however (in spite of praising the cinematography by John F. Seitz), gives the thriller a negative review:
"Aside from the fine opening sequence -- Lund's rescue of Gail Russell from the brink of suicide, and discovery of her mortal terror of the stars -- a disappointing adaptation of Cornell Woolrich's superb novel."[4]
Music
The film's main theme (written by Jerry Brainin and Buddy Bernier) has gone on to become a jazz standard, having been recorded by Horace Silver, Carmen McRae, Harry Beckett, Paul Desmond and John Coltrane, among others.
References
Notes
- ^ Biggest Film Firm: Paramount's Puzzler: Will Attendance Slide Be Brief or Prolonged? By Joseph W. Taylor Staff Correspondent of The Wall Street Journal. Wall Street Journal (1923 - Current file) [New York, N.Y] 21 July 1947: 1.
- ^ "Top Grossers of 1948", Variety 5 January 1949 p 46
- ^ Night Has a Thousand Eyes at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films.
- ^ TimeOut film review, no date. Accessed: July 5, 2013.
Bibliography
- Eddie Muller (2002). Art of Noir. Overlook Hardcover. ISBN 1-58567-073-1.
External links
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes at IMDb
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes at AllMovie
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes at the TCM Movie Database
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes film scene on YouTube
Streaming audio
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes on Screen Directors Playhouse: February 27, 1949
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes on Philip Morris Playhouse: August 19, 1953