The Clock (1945)

Soldier Joe Allen is on a two-day leave in New York, and there he meets Alice. She agrees to show him the sights and they spend the day together. In this short time they find themselves ... See full summary »

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Robert Nathan (screenplay), Joseph Schrank (screenplay),

Stars:

Judy Garland, Robert Walker, James Gleason

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Judy Garland	...	Alice Maybery
Robert Walker	...	Corporal Joe Allen
James Gleason	...	Al Henry
Keenan Wynn	...	The Drunk
Marshall Thompson	...	Bill
Lucile Gleason	...	Mrs. Al Henry
Ruth Brady	...	Helen

Storyline

Soldier Joe Allen is on a two-day leave in New York, and there he meets Alice. She agrees to show him the sights and they spend the day together. In this short time they find themselves falling in love with each other, and they decide to get married before Joe has to return to camp.

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Plot Keywords:

soldier | love | flowers | wedding night | stockings | 

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Taglines:

Every second a heart-beat

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

48 timmar

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,324,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$2,783,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the opening scene, Robert Walker bums a light from a commuter played by none other than Arthur Freed.

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Goofs

Joe shows up for date with Alice at 7 pm. And even though date lasts nearly a day, he's still clean-shaven 24 hours later.

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Quotes

The Drunk: You are the most maddening lady creature I've ever been able to come in contact with. Let me take you out of all this.

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Connections

Featured in American Masters: Judy Garland: By Myself (2004)

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Soundtracks

"If I Had You"
(uncredited)
Music by Ted Shapiro, Jimmy Campbell and Reginald Connelly
Heard as background music

User Reviews

Wartime Romance

Among the things I admire in this slight romantic drama is the most impressive set representing New York's Pennsylvania Station. It is certainly a fine achievement, designed by Cedric Gibbons and William Ferrari.

Likewise, George Folsey's lovely black and white cinematograpy is perfect for the "brief encounter" tale. Director Vincent Minnelli (replacing Fred Zinnemann) took special care to see that Judy Garland looked as fetching as possible, and she does. It is her most beautiful makeup in films, and her performance matches it well.

It's hard to believe the entire film was done in Hollywood's Culver City (using real NYC footage and backdrops) which is a tribute to the production staff and crew. They certainly obtained the Manhattan atmosphere, while telling a simple story of youthful wartime romance.