The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945)

Falling asleep during the Paradise Coffee ("The Coffee that Makes You Sleep") Program, the band's third trumpeter dreams he's Athanael, an angel deputized to blow the Last Trumpet at ... See full summary »

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

Sam Hellman (screenplay), James V. Kern (screenplay),

Stars:

Jack Benny, Alexis Smith, Dolores Moran

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jack Benny	...	Athanael
Alexis Smith	...	Elizabeth
Dolores Moran	...	Violinist / Fran Blackstone
Allyn Joslyn	...	Second Trumpeter / Osidro
Reginald Gardiner	...	Composer / Archibald 'Archie' Dexter
Guy Kibbee	...	Radio Director / The Chief
John Alexander	...	First Trumpeter / Doremus
Franklin Pangborn	...	Radio Engineer / Sloan - House Detective
Margaret Dumont	...	Mme. Traviata / Miss Rodholder
Robert Blake	...	Junior Pulplinsky (as Bobby Blake)
Ethel Griffies	...	Lady Stover
Paul Harvey	...	Hotel Manager Thompson
Mike Mazurki	...	Bass Player / Humphrey Rafferty
Truman Bradley	...	Radio Announcer
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Alvin	...	Angel (scenes deleted)

Storyline

Falling asleep during the Paradise Coffee ("The Coffee that Makes You Sleep") Program, the band's third trumpeter dreams he's Athanael, an angel deputized to blow the Last Trumpet at exactly midnight on Earth. But Osidro and Doremus, two fallen angels enjoying the physical pleasures of an earthly existence, try to steal Athanael's trumpet, enlisting the aid of suave jewel thief Archie Dexter. Athanael fumbles his first try when he saves Archie's accomplice, Fran, from suicide. His second chance seems doomed when he's forced to leave his trumpet as security for a meal he can't pay for. But he gets it back just in time for a final confrontation with his desperate adversaries, dangling with them from the roof, only seconds from Midnight.

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Plot Keywords:

trumpet | coffee | angel | midnight | trumpeter | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 April 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Engel mit der Trompete

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min 80 min (original cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Several references erroneously credit John Garfield with a cameo appearance as a flutist in the heavenly orchestra sequence. The flutist in question bears a minor resemblance to Garfield, but is not he.

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Quotes

Athanael: What are they supposed to be doing?
Maitre d': I wouldn't know, sir; they call it dancing.
Athanael: I must tell St. Vitus about this.

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Connections

Referenced in The Jack Benny Program: Humphrey Bogart Show (1953)

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Soundtracks

"Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2"
(1847) (uncredited)
Music by Franz Liszt
Briefly played when Fran and Athaneal are scrambling up the wall

User Reviews

An underrated comedy classic

This film was an ongoing joke with Jack Benny as at the time of its release it took a flop at the box office. However, time has treated this comedy/fantasy well and if you give it a try you will find a truly original comic masterpiece. Here is a film with many 1990's themes...angels, the end of the world, great visual effects, sex, and slapstick comedy. Maybe it was a little ahead of its time. Great performances from Jack Benny, Alexis Smith, and Guy Kibbee as well as a memorable "Looney Tune" style score from the great Franz Waxman. Give this zany 1945 film a chance as you will be surprised how wild they could get back then and how funny and strange an "old" film can be.