One Thrilling Night (1942)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

William Beaudine

Writer:

Joseph Hoffman (original screenplay)

Release Date:

5 June 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery

Tagline:

THE BRIDE WORE A STARTLED LOOK! (she was a lovely sight) - No girl ever got so many surprises on her honeymoon! (original poster)

Plot:

A young newlywed couple from a small town decide to spend their wedding night at a posh hotel in New York City...

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Small Town | Newlywed | Missing Bodies | New York City

Cast

John Beal	...	Horace Jason
Wanda McKay	...	Millie Jason
Warren Hymer	...	Pat Callahan
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Police Sergeant Haggerty
Barbara Pepper	...	Lettie
Tom Neal	...	Frankie Saxton
Ernie Adams	...	Pete Mooney
Lynton Brent	...	Joe Richmond
Pierce Lyden	...	Duke Keesler
Gene O'Donnell	...	Skinny
Jimmy O'Gatty	...	Tubby
Tom Herbert	...	Hotel Clerk

Also Known As:

Do Not Disturb (USA) (working title)
Horace Takes Over (USA) (TV title)
No Time for Love (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved | Sweden:15

Trivia:

Shot in six days.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Sikken en nat (1947)

A Monogram film that drew rave reviews from the trade papers. Could it be?

In this instance, it be. The trade papers seldom had anything good to say about product from the minors for a couple of reasons; there was seldom anything good to say about it, and since the minors spent little in the way of advertising money in the trades, the reviewers got a free shot at expressing how they really felt without being called to task by the editor or publisher because Louis B. Mayer didn't like their comments. "One Thrilling Night" actually had a premier showing at a Hollywood theatre as opposed to the trade reviewers dropping by the studio screening room to see it or, as was often the case, being reviewed at a theatre months after it was released. Monogram was not high on the "trades" priority list. It was screened on June 28, 1942 and, ordinarily, it would have been released a few days before or afterwards. The reviews were so out of the norm, that the film was held back long enough for all an all-new pressbook and posters and ad mats to be made incorporating the reviews and the release was held up until August 8, 1942. "Boxoffice" said if it had come from a major company, it would be loudly and quickly acclaimed as a "sleeper"; "Film Daily" called it clever, fast and fautlessly played---as good as anything Monogram ever turned out; David Hanna, in the L.A. Daily News, said it was one of the most creditable films ever to come from Monogram and augered well for the future of this alert and enterprising studio; in a rather breezy fashion, "Motion Picture Daily's" reviewer tabbed it a sleeper and advised to give it some racing room at the head of the stretch as it had speed, a style of its own and finished strong; and "Showmen's Trade Review" called the direction of William Beaudine like a cut gem with no situation that interferes with another. Yadda, Yadda, Yadda also from "Variety" and "Movie-Radio Guide. Hold on one cotton-picking moment, what is going on here? All this about a film directed by William (One-Shot) Beaudine; produced by A. W. Hackel of the Supreme (company name, not a description) westerns with Bob Steele and Johnny Mack Brown circa 1934-1936 and father of some exploitation pics only a notch above those from Kroger Babb and the widow Houdini; a film with the dour and dull John Beal, usually found playing a preacher in the limberlost, doing a comedy turn and B-western and serial regulars such as Ernie Adams, Lynton Brent and Pierce Lyden playing funny gansters? Well, dang if the reviewers weren't about half right, albeit slightly overboard probably from being somewhat giddy and surprised at finding this behind the Monogram logo and over-reacted. All in all, well worth finding and watching and, maybe, being surprised. And Wanda McKay, as the frustrated bride, in a 1942 silk slip with one strap hanging didn't hurt it none nuther.