Somewhere In The Night [DVD]

George Taylor (John Hodiak) wakes up in a Marine field hospital in the Pacific. His jaw is wired shut, his face has been rearranged by a grenade, he has no memory. He finds in his wallet an old note from a friend, Larry Cravat. He's finally discharged and goes to Los Angeles, where Cravat's letter said he'd put $5,000 in a bank account for Taylor. He still has no memory. Suddenly, he finds himself up to his neck in a three-year-old murder supposedly committed by Cravat, a missing suitcase containing $2 million of Nazi money, a nightclub songstress named Christy Smith (Nancy Guild), her boss, Mel Phillips (Richard Conte), and an assortment of bruisers, low lifes and mental cases. Off to the side, watching and waiting, is police lieutenant Don Kendall (Lloyd Nolan), who has a hunch Taylor may lead him to Cravat.

This was one of Joseph Mankiewicz's first director jobs. He'd made his reputation writing screenplays and he wrote this one. As a director, he was still learning his way. The movie is interesting, but is not in the league of the films he would start making in two or three years. Once the plot really kicks in, however, about a third of the way, the movie starts getting better and better.

Although as a noir, the film has all the nighttime scenes and tough dialogue you might want, it still is very much a B-movie, and this is, I think, because of two flaws you need to accept if you're going to enjoy it. The two leads, John Hodiak and Nancy Guild, aren't very effective. Hodiak was a sincere, somewhat stolid middle-of-the-road actor. At his best, as in A Bell for Adano and Sunday Dinner for a Soldier, he could be effective. I don't think tough-guy roles played to his strengths. He was only 41 when he died of a heart attack. This was Nancy Guild's first film. She had no acting experience and it shows. Her lack of snap and her slow line readings drain interest from the character.

On the other hand, the movie features two first-rate actors in major roles, Richard Conte and Lloyd Nolan. Fritz Kortner, who plays a bad guy with humor and ham, is fun to watch. In small parts you can get a glimpse of Sheldon Leonard, Whit Bissell and Harry Morgan.

There's also the pleasure of hearing some vivid Mankiewicz dialogue: At one point a woman kisses Taylor flat out. He's unresponsive. "Did you have fun?" he asks her. She looks at him. "I've had more fun drinking a Bromo-Seltzer," she says.

One night Taylor arrives late at Chris' apartment. She'd waited up for him and had fixed food. "There are some sandwiches over there," she tells him, "with their toes curled up."

"Memories have a way of getting stuck together like pages in a book," one character says.

Enjoy the film for what it is, a B-noir with some good lines and, even if Hodiak and especially Guild can't pull it off, some good performances by the other actors. The black and white DVD transfer is first rate, clear and sharp. There are a lot of nighttime scenes and they look great.

although this seems understated, this is a brilliant film.

Much in the vein of the later Bullitt from 1968, this film will have you puzzling out who is what and how they are connected.

A wounded US Marine returns to California after WW2 with no memory and a mysterious letter from a 'Larry Cravat'

When the US Marine starts asking about Larry Cravat, the action starts, just like when you lift up a stone, all the bugs start crawling out!

There are many twists, turns and dead ends for the lead charachter George Taylor the US Marine as he tries to find Larry Caravat and unravel the story of what happened in 1942 some three years previously.

I won't spoli it for you but he gets the runaround and people go to an awful lot of trouble to try and find out what George Taylor knows about Larry Cravat!

A great understated performance from Lloyd Nolan as the Police Detective too!

Great 1940's style film noir!

John Hodiak (George Taylor) wakes up in a hospital with amnesia. He doesn't even know who he is and he spends the rest of the film trying to track down Larry Cravat who has left him some money. His journey takes him to a nightclub called "The Cellar" where he meets Nancy Guild (Christy) and they form an alliance. So where is the mysterious Mr Cravat.....?

It is so bleeding obvious where Mr Cravat is. You should guess that part of the plot within the first 15 minutes. However, there are other twists and turns that keep you guessing and I didn't expect the final plot development. As for the story, it can get a little complicated so you need to just go along with it even though it is too long. The cast are fine - my favourite character being Lloyd Nolan's Police Lieutenant who has a way of letting people know that he pretty much knows everything already. He's like Peter Falk's "Columbo". Nancy Guild looks like a cross between Lauren Bacall and Ella Raines, and while many reviewers have given her a hard time about her acting (my girlfriend included), I thought she was fine. It's something about her mannerisms, smugness and trying to act older than she is which seems to annoy.

The film starts with an overlong narration and there are dumb parts to the story, eg, why does Hodiak run out of the bank when he is asked to stay and have a quick word with the manager when he goes to cash his cheque from Larry Cravat. Surely, he would be only too pleased to speak to someone who may shed light on his past life or give him information about Larry Cravat. Another ludicrous concept that you have to accept is that Hodiak fell onto a bomb when it exploded. He looks pretty good to me. What a nonsense! However, there are also good moments that provide tension, eg, the episode at the asylum and the scene at the docks where Hodiak and Guild go in search of $2 million. There is also a moment that will make you jump when an attempt is made on Hodiak's life. You'll know the one I mean. That would have properly been game over!

Overall, the film is a bit boring. Every scene, particularly at the beginning, takes ages and you'll get fed up with the name of Larry Cravat. Sadly, John Hodiak died unexpectedly while having a shave 9 years after this film was made at the age of 41.