Highways by Night (1942)

An unworldly inventor finds romance and adventure.

Director:

Peter Godfrey

Writers:

Clarence Budington Kelland (story), Lynn Root (screenplay),

Stars:

Richard Carlson, Jane Randolph, Jane Darwell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Carlson	...	Tommy Van Steel
Jane Randolph	...	Peggy Fogarty
Jane Darwell	...	Grandma Fogarty
Barton MacLane	...	Leo Bronson
Ray Collins	...	Ben Van Steel, Tommy's Uncle
Gordon Jones	...	'Footsy' Fogarty
Renee Godfrey	...	Ellen Cromwell
Iris Adrian	...	Blonde Chorine
Jack La Rue	...	Johnny Lieber, Gangster
John McGuire	...	James 'Duke' Wellington
George Cleveland	...	Judkins - Hotel Manager
Marten Lamont	...	Reggie
James Seay	...	Westbrook, the Man with Trucks
Cliff Clark	...	Police Captain James
Paul Fix	...	Gabby

Storyline

Rich, nerdish Tommy Van Steel seldom leaves his home gadget workshop, but somehow has become engaged to socialite Ellen Cromwell, who treats him badly. Innocently becoming drunk, Tommy takes to heart his Uncle Ben's advice to sow some wild oats, and soon he is involved with chorus girls, gangsters, and a troubled mom-and-pop trucking company.

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Plot Keywords:

gangster | contract | truck | education | b movie | 

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Taglines:

Based on the story "Silver Spoon" by Clarence Budington Kelland

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Diamanti sto vourko

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Jane Randolph (I)' replaced Dorothy Comingore.

User Reviews

Snazzy little flick

Richard Carlson (of "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "It Came From Outer Space") is excellent as the naive, bespectacled, non-smoking, non-drinking millionaire Tommy Van Steele who takes his uncle's advice to experience life in this action-filled comedy. As the chief engineer and owner of a major automotive manufacturing company, he winds up going incognito into the blue-collar world of trucking (Howard Hughes himself went undercover early in his life to work for a major airline in order to learn from them, but Carlson's character is more like Howard Bannister in "What's Up, Doc?"). He eventually discovers, embraces, and falls in love with the real world. Jane Darwell (famous for "The Grapes of Wrath," among others) plays the feisty heart-of-gold grandma of babe Jane Randolph (she was Alice in both "Cat People" movies). Not quite a "screwball comedy," but darn near. Plus some great (and corny) fight scenes!