Roadhouse Nights (1930)

Director:

Hobart Henley

Writers:

Garrett Fort, Dashiell Hammett (novel),

Stars:

Helen Morgan, Charles Ruggles, Fred Kohler

Cast

Cast overview:
Helen Morgan	...	Lola Fagan
Charles Ruggles	...	Willie Bindbugel
Fred Kohler	...	Sam Horner
Jimmy Durante	...	Daffy (as Durante)
Lou Clayton	...	Joe (as Clayton)
Eddie Jackson	...	Moe (as Jackson)
Joe King	...	John Hanson
Fuller Mellish Jr.	...	Hogan
Leo Donnelly	...	City Editor Keeley
Tammany Young	...	Jerry

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

bootlegger | gangster | melodrama | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 February 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

The River Inn

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jimmy Durante's film debut.

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Connections

Version of A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

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Soundtracks

"Everything Is On the Up and Up"
Words and Music by Eddie Jackson, Lou Clayton and Jimmy Durante

User Reviews

Hammet's "Red Harvest"

I admit I have not seen this film, so cannot review it; but in researching Hammet's "Red Harvest", and in reading the review by F Gwynplaine MacIntyre here, I was utterly shocked. Of course this film, as MacIntyre describes it, cannot possibly be based on Hammett's whirlwind-of-evil crime novel, one of the most violent in the annals of crime fiction in America, one of the most pessimistic, and one of the most obviously assaultive on the capitalist system that permits such systematic corruption as described in Hammett's book. Charles Ruggles?! God save us.

Here is a list of many of the films actually based on the Hammett novel (although none actually credits it as source material!): Yojombo (Japan, Akira Kurosawa); Fistfull of Dollars (Italy-Spain, Sergio Leone); Last Man Standing (US, Walter Hill); Miller's Crossing (US, Coen Brothers); Omega Doom (US/ British/ Taiwan); Gun Crazy: Woman from Nowhere (Japan); Cold Harvest (US/ Australia/ Israel); Mad Max (Australia, starring Mel Gibson); El Mariachi (Mexico, Robert Roderiguez); Single Action (Mexico).

Films influenced by this novel (or its film versions): practically every 'chop-socky' kung fu film made in Hong Kong during the 1970s; almost every 'Spaghetti Weswtern' made in Italy or Spain during the 1960s and 1970s; every film influenced by Mad Max (virtually a genre in itself in the 1980s) (but this also includes, however loosely, the two "Escape From" films from John Carpenter); 'film noir' of the French New Wave (especially Godard's "Alphaville") (also includes Melville's "Samurai" thus including Woo's Melville influenced "the Killer"); Ringo Lam's "Full Contact - well, let's face it the list just goes on and on.

Thus possibly the single most influential novel for fans of action cinema. Yet when Hollywood had it in hand, with Hammet still alive for consultation, they make a quasi-comedy starring - Charles Ruggles?! No wonder real lovers of cinema find Hollywood an expensive, popular, but ultimately trivial, joke! My God! - I'm glad I never saw this.

Read the novel! See all the other films! You will not be disappointed!