(2012-04-26 13:01:16)

Real men don't ask for directions nor do they seek help for amnesia

This review is for the 2005 Twentieth Century Fox DVD.The film opens in a "MASH" unit near a World War II battleground where a wounded George Taylor (John Hodiak) slowly realizes that he has amnesia. Rather than confront the issue head on with the medical staff, he decides to try to regain his identity by using all of the people around him for feeding information about himself. When he is finally discharged from the military, he goes to Los Angeles to piece his past life back together. He later discovers that a friend he doesn't remember named Larry Cravatt left him some money at a bank. When George goes to the bank to withdraw the cash, George has reason to believe that the police are after him and flees the bank and then has to do a lot more detective work on his own. This sets up the rest of the film where the stakes suddenly are much bigger than he ever imagined since he discovers that he may have been involved in a murder that was tied to $2 million worth of missing money.Beyond the obvious issue of suffering from amnesia and refusing any medical help, the story goes off into a long string of highly improbable events that don't seem that well connected to each prior event. The main character just seems to have an uncanny knack of falling backwards into some other fantastic situation. In spite of these problems, the film does a few things right. First, it's a clearly a film noir movie set mostly in the seedier parts of Los Angeles and photographed with plenty of shadows and darkly lit settings. Another nice touch is that just about all of the supporting actors are recognizable characters from the classic film noir era. Even though the film has some of the necessary ingredients for success, the script is disappointing since it doesn't connect the dots that well from one scene to the next, and doesn't thoroughly sell the audience on several key points of the movie such as the main male character (Hodiak) and his relationship with the leading female character (Guild), the surprise villain, and how uncreatively the villain is brought to justice. Overall, I think classic film noir fans will still find the movie rewarding based on the visual presentation, but mystery buffs will be holding their noses with this plot. As for the DVD, the black and white full screen presentation is overall excellent. The picture is sharp and with superb contrast. The only minor problems were some graininess and occasional tiny signs of film deterioration, but considering the film was made in 1946, it's a great transfer. The DVD bonuses include commentary by noir author Eddie Mueller plus several other Fox Film Noir trailers.Movie: CDVD Quality: A-

(2012-04-25 21:12:29)

Underrated, unusual, and lots of fun

An interesting, off-the-beaten-track film noir about an amnesiac soldier, recently discharged from the Marines, who returns to civilian life to rediscover his own past. Actor John Hodiak (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Val Kilmer...) plays his role with a sleepy-yet-cool reserve -- for a guy who thinks he's just an average joe, he sure seems to handle himself well when things start getting weird and dangerous in his old hometown of LA. Lee Strasberg (later of the Actor's Studio) delivers a compelling though flawed script... The first half of the film has an odd, stylish charm -- the flip, tough-guy rhetoric of the genre is tempered with a hefty dose of absurdism and playfulness. There are some great sequences and fun, zippy dialogue, although the prologue is far superior to the action part of the film. The second half lumbers along, and while it becomes clumsy, it's still entertaining and definitely a notch above many B-grade efforts of the same era. One particular treat is an extended role for Lloyd Nolan, who plays a too-cool, insouciant police detective -- his introduction is a real hoot, where he effortlessly steals the scene and leaves the audience wanting more... Lots more. You might not have heard of this film before -- I sure hadn't -- but it's definitely worth checking out!

mackjay

(2012-04-24 17:03:52)

Hodiak, Conte and a host of Great Supporting Players in a Class-A Film Noir

SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT is not only a pleasure in terms of plot andatmosphere, it is filled with terrific supporting actors: Lloyd Nolan, JeffCorey, Whit Bissell, Sheldon Leonard, Henry Morgan, Fritz Kortner, and thesuperb, virtually ignored Josephine Hutchinson, who has the emotional centerof the film as a lonely victim of the murderous scheme. Some may rememberHutchinson as the android babysitter from The Twilight Zone episode "I Singthe Body Electric". And when are Corey, Bissell, Morgan and Nolan notwelcome? Only Nancy Guild fails to equal her surrounding players, but shegets to deliver a few wry observations.Not much can be said about Richard Conte, without spoiling the plot, butthis is another one of the infallible actor's memorable characterizations.John Hodiak probably never had enough opportunities to play lead in goodfilms. We are fortunate to have here his extremely convincing amnesiacveteran: in a sense, the ultimate existential noir protagonist. A voicecredit has been given to John Ireland, but it certainly sounds like Hodiakduring the nightmarish opening sequence.This was the second film Mankiewicz directed, and it's a big improvementover DRAGONWYCK. SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT belongs in the canon of compulsoryFilm Noir. Go out of your way to see it.

Neil Doyle

(2012-04-23 21:31:55)

The script is as muddled as the amnesiac's mind...

What might have been a very interesting film noir from the mid-'40s isgiven a B-film flavor with a muddled script full of red herrings thatkeep the audience as mystified as amnesiac JOHN HODIAK throughout thefilm. He wakes up in an Army hospital with a bad case of memory lossand immediately sets out to discover what's behind the few clues he hasto his identity.He gets help from a lounge singer, NANCY GUILD, in her first importantrole. She's a cross between Lauren Bacall and Lizabeth Scott, withstriking looks but not enough screen presence. A friendly cop offershis services (LLOYD NOLAN) and the owner of the lounge (RICHARD CONTE)is willing to join in the search for a man they all believe is at thebottom of the mystery.Well photographed, with good sets and art direction, it's not really aB-film but does give that impression from time to time. The scriptwanders all over the place as Hodiak searches for clues to his past.This search does lead to an excellent scene between him and JOSEPHINEHUTCHINSON which, unfortunately, has little bearing on the plot.In the end, it all seems highly derivative of other thrillers with morecoherent plots. This is an early work of Joseph L. Mankiewicz, but notas polished and focused as his later films would be.

(2012-04-23 13:07:02)

JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ, OPUS 2

**** 1946. Co-written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. An amnesiac tries to find out, all alone, in Los Angeles the man who could reveal him his identity. Another great film noir of the Fox collection even if its last 30 minutes are a little too verbose even for a film directed by Mankiewicz, the dialogue's wizard. Note Lloyd Nolan's performance as the detective movie-goer and bear in mind that the British writer Somerset Maugham also worked on the screen adaptation of the story. Recommended.

(2012-04-22 23:02:19)

A B Noir Which Picks Up Steam As It Goes Along

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. The DVD has a commentary track by a fellow named Eddie Muller who has written some books about noir. I listen to some of it, then switched it off.

JohnHowardReid

(2012-04-19 13:33:17)

One of the Best Fox Film Noirs!

Few actresses jump from a thespic nowhere into a star role. You mightcount them on the fingers of one hand. But it happened to Nancy Guild.Signed to a Fox contract when casting director, Rufus Le Maire, spottedher picture in a 1946 Life magazine lay-out of current college girldress fashions, Nancy jumped straight from Fox's dramatic school (whereshe spent "a few months as the star pupil") to the lead feminine rolein Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Somewhere in the Night (1946). And she doeswell too. Extremely well by a rather difficult role. Is she a goodgirl, or one of the villains? Nancy plays it cool, which is a perfectchoice, especially when surrounded by consummate scene-stealers likeRichard Conte, Lloyd Nolan, John Hodiak and Fritz Kortner. But herdebut proved to be the high point of her motion picture career. Nextcast in a Fox "B", The Brasher Doubloon (1947) opposite GeorgeMontgomery's Philip Marlowe, she followed with a minor Dan Dailey 1948musical, Give My Regards to Broadway. Fox then dropped her. At thisstage, Orson Welles came to her rescue by offering her the part ofMarie Antoinette in Black Magic (1949) in which Gregory Ratoff frontedfor him as producer and director. (Ratoff actually did direct half themovie, but Welles handled all his own scenes and wrote some of his owndialogue). Although this United Artists release was anything but asuccess, Universal offered Miss Guild a contract. She played the mainfeminine role in Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951) andwas then third-billed (Mark Stevens and Rhonda Fleming were the starsfeatured on all the posters) in Little Egypt (1951). Fourth billing inFrancis Covers the Big Town (1953) and a minor role in Otto Preminger's1971 Such Good Friends completed her motion picture career. Eight filmroles, only one of which (her first) is of any importance. What awaste! Getting back to the rivetingly noir, Somewhere in the Night, this movieis not just an actor's heyday (which it is – you'll probably miss theclever way one of the players signals the plot to the audience in thefirst 15 minutes, so watch for it on a second view), but aphotographer's and set designer's paradise as well. Mankiewicz keeps afirm control of both acting and atmosphere. This exceedinglywell-produced movie always enjoyed a considerable cult reputation,which, for once, was thoroughly deserved. Full marks for a really solidscript on which none other than leading novelist W. Somerset Maughamworked with Lee Strasberg (later to gain fame with his Actors Studio).

(2012-04-18 20:39:15)

Sometimes the postman only rings once

OK, as film noir goes this isn't "Double Indemnity," but "Somewhere in the Night" is well worth a look anyway. It's pure B-picture noir, the sort that made your mother or grandmother run down to the local movie house and shell out a couple of bucks for the full double-bill and come home happy that they did. There's not too much heavy social commentary and, as noted elsewhere, this is one of those convoluted amnesiac plots that have been so over-worked by Hollywood. Still, a somewhat green director Joseph Mankiewicz, in one of his first solo runs well before he hit his stride in "All About Eve", and the strong cast of John Hodiak and Nancy Guild manage to pull it off, with plenty of atmosphere and some good crackling dialog (and a few wonderful little in-jokes woven into the plot, if you're quick and clever enough to catch on).Another thing about this film worth seeing, besides Mankewicz's solo effort, is John Hodiak, who regrettably died at age 39. Had he lived a little longer I suspect he'd have found his way into the pantheon of great leading men, and we'd have this little gem to point back to as the start of a wonderful Hollywood career. Unfortunately for us, it never happened. I rate this four stars for fun and effort, five for a great way to waste a rainy Saturday afternoon.

HunterTX

(2012-04-17 03:01:21)

An Excellent Film Noir Mystery That Will Keep You On The Edge of Your Seat.

This is one of my favorite mystery movies. Not only does "Somewhere in theNight" have a great supporting cast, but John Hodiak's performance as onesuffering from amnesia has you with him every step of the way on his searchfor his true identity, missing money, and the reason he is being pursued byothers. This plot has so many twists and turns you will not be bored!Look for an uncanny resemblance between John Hodiak and a very young MartinLandau of "Mission Impossible" fame.I saw this movie four times and rate it SUPERB!

Alex da Silva

(2012-04-16 15:59:48)

Why do detectives wear hats?

John Hodiak (George Taylor) wakes up in a hospital with amnesia. Hedoesn't even know who he is and he spends the rest of the film tryingto track down Larry Cravat who has left him some money. His journeytakes him to a nightclub called "The Cellar" where he meets Nancy Guild(Christy) and they form an alliance. So where is the mysterious MrCravat.....? It is so bleeding obvious where Mr Cravat is. You should guess thatpart of the plot within the first 15 minutes. However, there are othertwists and turns that keep you guessing and I didn't expect the finalplot development. As for the story, it can get a little complicated soyou need to just go along with it even though it is too long. The castare fine - my favourite character being Lloyd Nolan's Police Lieutenantwho has a way of letting people know that he pretty much knowseverything already. He's like Peter Falk's "Columbo". Nancy Guild lookslike a cross between Lauren Bacall and Ella Raines, and while manyreviewers have given her a hard time about her acting (my girlfriendincluded), 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 tothe story, eg, why does Hodiak run out of the bank when he is asked tostay and have a quick word with the manager when he goes to cash hischeque from Larry Cravat. Surely, he would be only too pleased to speakto someone who may shed light on his past life or give him informationabout Larry Cravat. Another ludicrous concept that you have to acceptis that Hodiak fell onto a bomb when it exploded. He looks pretty goodto me. What a nonsense! However, there are a few moments that providetension, eg, the episode at the asylum and the scene at the docks whereHodiak and Guild go in search of $2 million. There is also a momentthat 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 thebeginning, takes ages and you'll get fed up with the name of LarryCravat. Sadly, John Hodiak died unexpectedly while having a shave 9years after this film was made at the age of 41.

bux

(2012-04-16 12:51:22)

Very good film-noir with a good supporting cast.

Hodiak is a WWII Marine vet, suffering amnesia and searching for his trueidentity. He returns to Los Angeles and becomes involved in two milliondollars of missing Nazi loot. Look for many familiar faces in smallsupporting roles. While watching this one, I kept thinking what a greatvehicle it would have been for John Ireland...then I checked the IMDB andfound that Ireland did the voice-over narration.......Freudian???

blanche-2

(2012-04-15 18:28:31)

'40s noir starring John Hodiak

John Hodiak is a war vet with amnesia who searches for his identity andpossible complicity in a crime in "Somewhere in the Night," a 1946 filmalso starring Nancy Guild, Richard Conte, and Lloyd Nolan. The film isdirected by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and he also co-wrote the screenplaywith Howard Dimsdale.Severely wounded in the war, Hodiak's character, George Taylor, has hadto have facial reconstruction. His recovery is slow, and he can'tremember anything. He has a partial letter on his person telling himthat he's despicable, and when he picks up his belongings, he finds aletter from one Larry Cravat. Investigating Cravat leads him to murder,stolen money, and some unsavory characters who are after him.This is a muddled movie that still manages to be absorbing, probablybecause of the talent behind and in front of the camera. Nancy Guildplays a singer in a club owned by Richard Conte. She becomes interestedin Taylor and tries to help him. Guild is attractive and looks like anoir heroine in the Bacall-Raines genre, but she delivers her lines ina very flat manner. Lloyd Nolan as a police detective is terrific asalways, and Conte gives a smooth performance.You have to pay attention to "Somewhere in the Night" or you'll getlost - sort of like the hero does at points in the movie. Still, it'sworth seeing.

(2012-04-15 07:57:00)

reminiscent of Spellbound

This review is from: Somewhere in the Night (Fox Film Noir) (DVD) This film is about a man with amnesia (similar to Hitchcock`s spellbound) in that he`s trying to find out who he really is and in what way is he involved in a murder. A solid cast, good photography and well written. I found Nancy Guild to be adequate in her role, but there is no real chemistry between her and Hodiak. She reminded me of Veronica Lake who might have been better in the part with more charisma to offer. A good mystery that holds you to the end.

vanwall

(2012-04-14 23:11:50)

Mankiewicz directs a night-time noir

Mankiewicz does it again. With a small cast of generally B actors, hemakesa nifty film-noir. John Hodiak has his best role, IMHO, and the mostlynight-time settings have a great look. Strange to see Fritz Kortner, fromthe Louise Brooks "Pandora's Box", as a slimy fortune-teller.

christopher-underwood

(2012-04-10 20:26:46)

Very enjoyable and involving noir

Very enjoyable and involving noir. John Hodiak plays a WW2 veteranstruggling with insomnia and not many clues to go on. It's captivatingstuff and the pace is just right as we struggle, as does he, to workout what has gone on. As more people become involved, the plot reallythickens and we are in the familiar territory of seedy clubs, ruthlesshoods, car 'accidents', clairvoyance, a sanatorium and a wonderfullyevocative dark and dirty dockside. Great dialogue throughout and wittytoo. Nancy Guild is by no means stunning as the co-star helping Hodiakin his desperate race and I understand that Mankiewicz had to coach herindividually to help her with the delivery of her lines. Despite thisand because the story is so good her slightly faltering performance cantake nothing from this thriller.

(2012-04-10 02:17:57)

Style Over Substance

This review is from: Somewhere in the Night (Fox Film Noir) (DVD) Despite weaknesses in this film it has enough good qualities to recommend. For starters, despite layered plotting and red herrings the script telegraphs it's inevitable conclusion. The film's leads, John Hodiak and Nancy Guild, though attractive are merely serviceable. The film though does boast great atmosphere with it's use of shadowy cinematography and seedy L.A. locations. The film also has a better than average supporting cast in Richard Conte, Lloyd Nolan, Sheldon Leonard, Harry Morgan, et al. This one is a tough call because the potential is here for a better than average noir. If you're a completist of Fox's noir series like I am you're obligated to purchase it. Otherwise, rent it or wait until it pops up on TV.

Gloede_The_Saint

(2012-04-08 02:27:07)

Good and incredibly weird film

I will just make a few comments about this film.This is a highly irrational and illogical film noir. It's somethingquite rare I must say that, but in a good way? The answer to that ismore or less yes. A lot of it was genius but some of it was quite poor. It was also way too sarcastic. Felt like they tried to make a jokeabout, well just about everything. I did laugh a few times though, butit didn't fit! This wasn't a black comedy though it could have been onehell of a genius black comedy if they changed a few things.It's both unexpected in some parts yet quite predictable in others.I love Mankiewicz and his direction was fabulous, that must be said!But I'm not so sure about the story.I will say this though. It is good! See it if you have a chance! Iwon't directly recommend it since I only like to recommend films I lovebut yeah it is a nice little film!

edwagreen

(2012-04-07 21:20:22)

Somewhere in the Night Confusion Reigns *

This is such a lousy film that putting it in the tradition of the1940's film noir is an insult to that film genre.Total confusion reigns here as John Hodiak plays an injured war vet inthe throws of amnesia. How he could fool a hospital that he didn't havethis tells you a lot about hospital care as well as this very muddledfilm.Finding items in his wallet, money deposited for him along the way,suspicion that he is a killer, becoming mixed up with seedy people andfinally finding out who he is has no value in this plodding film.Richard Conte, as the owner of the bar, is up to his usual no good waysin films. That's Conte and that comes as no surprise. Lloyd Nolanexplains to us why the police always wear their hats. Isn't thatwonderful? By the time, you hear that, you're more than satisfied thatthis miserably scripted film is over.

(2012-04-06 21:41:43)

Mankiewicz Embodies Film Noir in Excellent Amnesiac Thriller...

The predicament with amnesia, besides the obvious loss of memory, is the confusion and disorientation that the individuals experience while trying to get a grasp with reality. A simple direction might be more impossible than the most complex of riddles, as there is no coherent foundation to lean on in regards to previous experiences. Names, locations, and knowledge are only foggy symbolical representations of the unknown while only adding more bewilderment within the individual. Thus, amnesia presents a terrific opportunity to create film noir, as the loss of cognitive processes induces an ominous and mysterious atmosphere that does not let its grip go of the audience. Somewhere in the Night offers such an experience where a man drifts out of hazy unconsciousness to find himself lost in his own existence. An angled rear shot of a man's head and an upside-down IV-bottle on which the words "Normal Human Plasma, Dried" fade in after the appearance of director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's name. Symbolically, the shot suggests immediately that something is wrong, as the inverted bottle is an icon for hospitalization and illness. Furthermore, the overturned text of the bottle hints toward the notion of a puzzled existence of a normal human being. Thanks to Mankiewicz's inspiring direction the film's first shot facilitates mind provoking suspense, as the camera slowly pans to the left displaying a small military hospital tent with some severely injured and a disheartened man covering his face in his hands. An unpromising future arises within this initial scene where death, injury, and hopelessness metaphorically present itself through the bleak future that many injured soldiers faced in military hospitals. It is clear that Mankiewicz understands the film noir spirit, as he offers such a meticulously planned first scene that sets the mood for the rest of the film.After the pan the camera smoothly focuses in on a man who wakes up out of his injury-induced sleep discovering that he cannot move his mouth, or remember who he is, while other than people address him as George Taylor. He has no other choice than to assume that he is George Taylor (John Hodiak), as he recovers from his severe injuries at the final stage of the war. He becomes a civilian shortly after the end of the war, but he has very few clues about his identity other than his name. The lack of concrete evidence is unnerving and troubling to him, as it only makes him more suspicious about himself and whom he can trust. In addition, it is even more bewildering that he has a hard time uncovering the truth about his own identity. The only thing that is certain with his situation is that something is wrong when he begins to investigate himself. The first clue that he follows only adds to the perplexity of his situation when he finds another clue in a gun, a bank account with $5,000 (at the time it was a large amount of money), and a name.Somewhere in the Night cleverly applies the concept of amnesia in a well-made film noir experience with a vague and ominously pensive mood even though the story might seem a little implausible. The camerawork and framing of several scenes augment the doomed atmosphere, as the protagonist seeks the truth. George's search keeps the audience guessing, but never completely sure about what has happened in the past, as he exposes new hints of his identity. Not only does Mankiewicz capture the tone of film noir through George, he embodies the theme of noir in an utterly exceptional manner. Every aspect of the film raises dubiousness: the characters, the hero, the plot, mise-en-scene, and the location of the film. There is nothing left to chance, as Mankiewicz provides a truly extraordinary cinematic experience that offers amusement, suspense, and contemplation.

(2012-04-06 07:29:35)

An amnesiac unravels the mystery of his existence

WW2 Combat veteran John Hodiak wakes up in a Honolulu military hospital with his jaws wired shut, face bandaged, and memory totally gone in the solid Joseph Mankiewicz directed film-noir "Somewhere in the Night".After a long convalescence he heads to Los Angeles based on a letter he has in his possession from a friend Larry Cravat. He learns that his name is George Taylor, as it is inscribed on his wallet.He begins asking around for Cravat in a local nightclub and immediately becomes the focus of mayhem courtesy of some shady locals. Hodiak meets and then confides his plight to nighclub singer Christy Smith played by attractive brunette Nancy Guild. She refers him to her boss Mel Phillips played by Richard Conte who helps by introducing him to slick L.A. detective Don Kendall played by Lloyd Nolan.We learn that Larry Cravat and two million dollars have mysteriously disappeared three years ago. The plot proceeds chronicling the revelation of the identity of Hodiak and the whereabouts of the money.While the film was nothing outstanding, it certainly was a convincing drama with satisfying storylines and acting performances.