Moontide (1942)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Archie Mayo

Writers:

John O'Hara (writer)
Willard Robertson (novel)

Release Date:

29 May 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Plot:

After a drunken binge on the San Pablo waterfront, longshoreman Bobo fears he may have killed a man...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Jean Gabin	...	Bobo
Ida Lupino	...	Anna
Thomas Mitchell	...	Tiny
Claude Rains	...	Nutsy
Jerome Cowan	...	Dr. Frank Brothers
Helene Reynolds	...	Woman on boat
Ralph Byrd	...	Rev. Wilson
William Halligan	...	Bartender
Victor Sen Yung	...	Takeo (as Sen Yung)
Chester Gan	...	Henry Hirota
Robin Raymond	...	Mildred
Arthur Aylesworth	...	Pop Kelly
Arthur Hohl	...	Jennings
John Kelly	...	Mac
Ralph Dunn	...	Policeman

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Archie Mayo replaced Fritz Lang as director.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Moontide

Good performer in middling movie

Though the movie is so-so story-wise, Jean Gabin's performance hooks you. It's the little things -- like his gestures to Tiny in the bar asking for money -- that blew me away. The movie itself has problems. The ending feels tacked on (I understand it was changed from the original downer ending). Some scenes feel like they are missing just a tad bit of exposition for them to really feel complete (the Doctor, for example, or Anna's back story). And I think Thomas Mitchell was miscast as Tiny -- he seems more blustery than malevolent (thw towel snapping came across as boyish pranksterism than cruelty). But I'd watch it again just to study Gabin.