Midnight (1939)

Director:

Mitchell Leisen

Writers:

Charles Brackett (screenplay) and
Billy Wilder (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 March 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A chorus girl, stranded in Paris, is "set up" by a millionaire to break up his wife's affair with another man.

Plot Keywords:

Party | Taxi | Taxi Driver | Millinery | Faked Insanity

Cast

Claudette Colbert	...	Eve Peabody aka Baroness Czerny
Don Ameche	...	Tibor Czerny
John Barrymore	...	Georges Flammarion
Francis Lederer	...	Jacques Picot
Mary Astor	...	Helene Flammarion
Elaine Barrie	...	Simone
Hedda Hopper	...	Stephanie
Rex O'Malley	...	Marcel Renaud
Monty Woolley	...	The Judge
Armand Kaliz	...	Lebon - Eve's Lawyer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eugene Borden	...	Porter (uncredited)
Paul Bryar	...	Porter (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Stephanie's Party Guest (uncredited)
André Cheron	...	Train Watchman (uncredited)
Eddie Conrad	...	Prince Potopienko (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Gennaro Curci	...	Majordomo (uncredited)
Billy Daniel	...	Roger - Stephanie's Gigolo (uncredited)
Leander De Cordova	...	Footman (uncredited)
Joe De Stefani	...	Head Porter (uncredited)
Carlos De Valdez	...	Maurice - Flammarions' Butler (uncredited)
Elspeth Dudgeon	...	Stephanie's Party Guest with Dog (uncredited)
William Eddritt	...	Footman (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Flammarions' Party Guest / Stephanie's Party Guest (uncredited)
Arno Frey	...	Hotel Desk Clerk at Ritz (uncredited)
Robert Graves	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Stephanie's Party Guest (uncredited)
William Hopper	...	Flammarions' Party Guest (uncredited)
Judith King	...	Girl (uncredited)
Max Lucke	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Mary MacLaren	...	Stephanie's Party Guest (uncredited)
Tony Martelli	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Joyce Mathews	...	Girl (uncredited)
Louis Mercier	...	Piano Playing Cabbie (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Flammarions' Party Guest (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Helene's Dance Partner at Flammarions' Party (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Stephanie's Party Guest (uncredited)
Ferdinand Munier	...	Stephanie's Majordomo (uncredited)
Nestor Paiva	...	Woman's Escort (uncredited)
Lionel Pape	...	Edouart (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Court Bailiff (uncredited)
Donald Reed	...	Ferdinand - Eve's Chauffer (uncredited)
Joseph Romantini	...	Footman (uncredited)
Ronald R. Rondell	...	Flammarions' Party Guest / Stephanie's Party Guest (uncredited)
Harry Semels	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Helen St. Rayner	...	The Coloratura (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Flammarions' Party Guest / Stephanie's Party Guest (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Stephanie's Party Guest (uncredited)
Leonard Sues	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Michael Visaroff	...	Footman (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	Flammarions' Party Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Mitchell Leisen

Writing credits
Charles Brackett		(screenplay) and
Billy Wilder		(screenplay)
Edwin Justus Mayer		(based on a story by) and
Franz Schulz		(based on a story by)

Produced by
Arthur Hornblow Jr.	....	producer
William LeBaron	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Friedrich Hollaender		(as Frederick Hollander)

Cinematography by
Charles Lang		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Doane Harrison		(edited by)

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier
Robert Usher

Set Decoration by
A.E. Freudeman		(interior decorations)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hal Walker	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Hal Walker	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Cope	....	sound recordist
Charles Hisserich	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	special photographic effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Irene	....	gowns: Miss Colbert

Music Department
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount (1939) (France) (theatrical)
• Hosh Posh Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Hosh Posh Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios (????) (USA) (TV) (as Universal)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Argentina:16 | USA:Approved (PCA #4906) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Australia:G | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Mary Astor's pregnancy caused some filming problems.

Quotes:

Judge:It's a confounded nuisance, but it's the law.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Masquerade in Mexico (1945)

Soundtrack:

Étude No.12 in C minor Op.10-12: Revolutionary

What a wonderful, fun movie!

Quite delightful. Surprised it's not better known. Has been called "The first great Brackett and Wilder screenplay." Fantastic costumes too. Billy Wilder was frustrated that the director was more interested in the style and look of the movie (which is stellar) than in his dialogue, which he had to fight from being cut. This is probably one of the first films that made him think about directing his own, so he could have more control. Really great comic performances from John Barrymore, Don Ameche, and Claudette Colbert.