Vigil in the Night (1940)

Nurse Anne Lee blames herself for a fatal mistake of her sister Lucy, who also is a nurse. Anne loses her job, and gets a new one at a poorly equipped country hospital. There she falls in ... See full summary »

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Fred Guiol (screenplay), P.J. Wolfson (screenplay),

Stars:

Carole Lombard, Brian Aherne, Anne Shirley

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Carole Lombard	...	Anne Lee
Brian Aherne	...	Dr. Robert S. Prescott
Anne Shirley	...	Lucy Lee
Julien Mitchell	...	Matthew Bowley
Robert Coote	...	Dr. Caley
Brenda Forbes	...	Nora Dunn
Rita Page	...	Glennie
Peter Cushing	...	Joe Shand
Ethel Griffies	...	Matron East
Doris Lloyd	...	Mrs. Martha Bowley
Emily Fitzroy	...	Sister Gilson

Storyline

Nurse Anne Lee blames herself for a fatal mistake of her sister Lucy, who also is a nurse. Anne loses her job, and gets a new one at a poorly equipped country hospital. There she falls in love with Dr. Prescott, who is battling with Mr. Bowly, the chairman of the local hospital board, who also makes Anne's life miserable. But then a virulent epidemic begins...

---

Plot Keywords:

hospital | nurse | epidemic | sister | self sacrifice | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 February 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Angeli della notte

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 102 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The production of the movie was held up several weeks due to Carole Lombard's appendectomy.

---

Connections

Referenced in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)

User Reviews

Thoroughly absorbing

It is indeed surprising to see Carol Lombard in a serious dramatic role, and it shows us the range of her talents. We thus mourn her early demise all the more deeply.

Maltin is correct in that good acting and direction here save a potentially sentimental script from descending into bathos. In fact, the explosiveley dramatic start undergirds the whole story and gives it an impetus that keeps us involved throughout. The movie wears its age well, and is well worth seeing.