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

In 1949 Jack Benny reprised his role as Athanael on radio for The Ford Theater's production of THBAM. Claude Rains also appeared in the program.

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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: Jack's Life Story (1957)

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Soundtracks

"Light Cavalry Overture"
(1866) (uncredited)
Music by Franz von Suppé
Briefly played when Athaneal is hanging on to Fran

User Reviews

The perfect comedy! See why it was called "Hollywood's Golden Age" ...

... and see how Hollywood somehow lost the knack to do this sort of screen chemistry, a pity.

But here it is, the picture that Jack Benny loved to joke about; yet it's really a terrific comedy, a rollicking "laff-riot" as the marquees used to shout out in front of the great movie palaces.

There's no wasted film here; the gags just keep on coming, and they roll along so quickly that you'll scarcely have time to ponder the subtleties. See it, and see it again to catch those missed subtleties, and a chance to wallow in its great 1940s art deco sets, swing music and costuming.

Don't miss the original "Heavenly Symphony" by the Great Orchestra And Choir In The Sky, and a quick gag cameo by flute-player John Garfield.

Mine is one of the many "10" votes on the IMDb ratings list, reinforced by my seeing "Horn" again yesterday and remembering (though I never forgot) just how great a film comedy it is, and how Hollywood used to know how to make us laugh.