History Is Made at Night (1937)

Director:

Frank Borzage

Writers:

Gene Towne (screen play) &
C. Graham Baker (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 March 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Divorcee Irene Vail falls for a charming Parisian, but her insanely jealous ex-husband will do anything to get her back...

Plot Keywords:

Headwaiter | Blackmail | Divorce | Restaurant | Rescue

Cast

Charles Boyer	...	Paul Dumond
Jean Arthur	...	Irene Vail
Leo Carrillo	...	Cesare
Colin Clive	...	Bruce Vail
Ivan Lebedeff	...	Michael Browsky
George Meeker	...	Mr. Norton
Lucien Prival	...	Private Detective
George Davis	...	Maestro
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bobby Barber	...	Paul - Waiter at Victor's (uncredited)
Phyllis Barry	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Joseph E. Bernard	...	Headwaiter at Victor's (uncredited)
Barlowe Borland	...	Clumsy Waiter at Cesare's (uncredited)
Harvey Clark	...	Victor (uncredited)
Dora Clement	...	Dowager (uncredited)
Adrienne D'Ambricourt	...	French Woman (uncredited)
Harry Depp	...	Waiting Customer at Victor's (uncredited)
Edward Earle	...	Ship's Officer Talking to Capt. Alden (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Vail Employee Reading from Newspaper (uncredited)
Roger Gray	...	Detective Finding Irene (uncredited)
Tim Holt	...	S.O.S. Radio Operator (uncredited)
George Humbert	...	Ship's Chef (uncredited)
Payne B. Johnson	...	Boy on Ship (uncredited)
Jeannette Kerner	...	Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Tetsu Komai	...	SOS Radio Operator (uncredited)
Rollo Lloyd	...	Reservations Man at Victor's (uncredited)
John Marston	...	Capt. Alden (uncredited)
Louis Mercier	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Helene Millard	...	Mrs. Vaughan (uncredited)
Carlyle Moore Jr.	...	Wireless Operator (uncredited)
Jack Mulhall	...	Waiter (uncredited)
David Newell	...	Passenger with Lifejacket (uncredited)
Barry Norton	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Robert Parrish	...	Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Russ Powell	...	Chef with Mustache (uncredited)
June Preston	...	Little Girl with Dog (uncredited)
Georges Renavent	...	Insp. Millard (uncredited)
Jack Richardson	...	Wireless Operator (uncredited)
Tom Ricketts	...	Old Man Getting in Lifeboat (uncredited)
Adele St. Mauer	...	Hotel Maid (uncredited)
William Stack	...	Vail's Attorney (uncredited)
Pierre Watkin	...	Commodore Eldridge (uncredited)
Señor Wences	...	'Coco' Hand Trick Performer (uncredited)
Charles Williams	...	Room Service Waiter on Ship (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Borzage

Writing credits
Gene Towne		(screen play) &
C. Graham Baker		(screen play) (as Graham Baker)
Vincent Lawrence		(additional dialogue) &
David Hertz		(additional dialogue)
Frank Borzage		uncredited

Produced by
Walter Wanger	....	producer

Cinematography by
David Abel		(director of photography)
Gregg Toland		(director of photography) (uncredited)

Film Editing by
Margaret Clancey

Art Direction by
Alexander Toluboff

Costume Design by
Bernard Newman

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lew Borzage	....	assistant director
Arthur Ripley	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Neal	....	sound

Special Effects by
James Basevi	....	special technical effects

Music Department
Alfred Newman	....	musical director

Other crew
Walter Wanger	....	presenter
Joshua Logan	....	dialogue director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walter Wanger Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1937) (USA) (theatrical)
• Masterpiece Productions (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• ClassicLine (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Lightning Video (1986) (USA) (video) (LaserDisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Masterpiece Productions (1950) (USA) (TV)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

Italian | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #3101)

Company:

Walter Wanger Productions

Trivia:

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on November 10, 1940 with Charles Boyer reprising his film role.

Quotes:

Irene Vail:You're right, Bruce. This time you're right. This time there *is* another man. You set a trap to catch me with one... and another came instead, to tell me that he loves me, and for me to tell him I love him too. And *you* did it! You did it all by yourself! Isn't that funny? Don't you think that's funny? Before he came, I never even looked at another man. But you wouldn't believe me! So you created one, and you sent him right into my arms...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in You'll Find Out (1940)

Soundtrack:

Nearer My God To Thee

High romance, rivaling Casablanca in intensity.

I can't understand why this film isn't more recognized as a superior example of romantic movie-making. The cast is perfect, the cinematography (with one small exception of back projection that was jarring) is excellent, and the direction superb. Throw in a wonderful evocation of Paris (as good as Midnight), a great score and an incredibly moving final ten minutes and you have perfection. Everything comes together in perfect balance, much like Casablanca, and sadly so few other romantic films. I once asked a new acquaintance what his favorite film (he was eighteen at the time). When he responded History is Made at Night, I threw my arms around him and told him he'd won a place in my heart. Three cheers for History is Made at Night, a film that deserves rediscovery.