Middle of the Night (1959)

Betty Preisser (Kim Novak), an attractive 24 year old divorcee, works as a secretary in the hard-boiled atmosphere of Manhattan's garment district... See full synopsis »

Director:

Delbert Mann

Writers:

Paddy Chayefsky (screenplay), Paddy Chayefsky (based on his play)

Stars:

Fredric March, Kim Novak, Glenda Farrell

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fredric March	...	Jerry Kingsley
Kim Novak	...	Betty Preisser
Glenda Farrell	...	Mrs. Mueller
Albert Dekker	...	Walter Lockman
Martin Balsam	...	Jack
Lee Grant	...	Marilyn
Lee Philips	...	George Preisser
Edith Meiser	...	Evelyn Kingsley
Joan Copeland	...	Lillian
Betty Walker	...	Rosalind Neiman, the widow
Lou Gilbert	...	Sherman
Rudy Bond	...	Gould
Effie Afton	...	Mrs. Herbert, the neighbor
Jan Norris	...	Alice Mueller
David Ford	...	Paul Kingsley

Storyline

Betty Preisser (Kim Novak), an attractive 24 year old divorcee, works as a secretary in the hard-boiled atmosphere of Manhattan's garment district... See full synopsis »

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Plot Keywords:

workaholic | camera shot of feet | spinster | based on tv movie | receptionist | 

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Taglines:

For every girl who was ever involved with an older man!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 May 1959 (France)

Also Known As:

Mitten in der Nacht

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sudan Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Ford's feature film debut.

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Quotes

Jerry Kingsley: Listen, sonny boy. Love, no matter how shabby it may seem, is still a beautiful thing. Everything else is nothing.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Carol Burnett Show: Episode #4.3 (1970)

User Reviews

Mismatch?

A previous comment says Fredric March was a 'mismatch' for Kim Novak. Ahh-hum.

Kim Novak was, as well cast as she was, lucky to be in the film with Fredric March. I think she was just 18 years old at the time the film was shot; and her natural innocence was the perfect foil for, not only one of the greatest screen actors of all time, but, in this film, also arriving as 'A Grand Old Man of the Theater' -a very rare accomplishment which mere age does not qualify.

The scene when Fredric March is silently sitting in the chair with mounting facial tremors and fingers atremble spreading a lap blanket as he so reluctantly resigns himself to dotage -until the phone rings and he, again, must become a man of action, is one of the greatest exhibitions of sheer acting power ever to exude on screen.

With Spencer Tracy, he would do it again as Matthew Harrison Brady in "Inherit the Wind", and still again as Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman."

Fredric March a "mismatch" for Kim Novak? Fredric March was an absolute powerhouse from the beginning of the movie to its climatic end, and Kim Novak (as the whole of the set) must have been absolutely awestruck by the time the chair scene was finished. I am sure she realized just how priviledged she was to be present amidst such genuine success-in-the-making; and I do believe it even shows when she tells Fredric March that she will marry him.

In any event, not only were there no mismatches, but the match of Fredric March with the director, Paddy Chayefsky was a very great one indeed -Paddy Chayefsky whose unpretentious films have always exuded the greatest humanity, and in this -perfectly matched film- so unpretentiously captured that success.