Middle of the Night (1959)

Director:

Delbert Mann

Writers:

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

Release Date:

20 May 1959 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

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

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Workaholic | Camera Shot Of Feet | Spinster | Based On TV Movie | Receptionist

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

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
Audrey Peters	...	Elizabeth Kingsley
Dora Weissman	...	Lucy Lockman
Lee Richardson	...	Joey Lockman
Anna Berger	...	Caroline
Alfred Leberfeld	...	Ellman
Nelson Olmsted	...	Erskine
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Walter Matthews	...	Mickey Hilliard (uncredited)

Directed by
Delbert Mann

Writing credits
Paddy Chayefsky		(screenplay)
Paddy Chayefsky		(based on his play)

Produced by
George Justin	....	producer

Original Music by
George Bassman

Cinematography by
Joseph C. Brun

Film Editing by
Carl Lerner

Casting by
Everett Chambers

Production Design by
Leo Kerz

Art Direction by
Ted Haworth		(as Edward S. Haworth)

Set Decoration by
Jack Wright Jr.

Costume Design by
Jean Louis		(gowns)
Frank L. Thompson

Makeup Department
George Newman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Stephen Bono	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles H. Maguire	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Richard Gramaglia	....	sound
Dick Vorisek	....	sound

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Flo Transfield	....	wardrobe

Music Department
George Bassman	....	conductor

Other crew
Everett Chambers	....	dialogue director
Marguerite James	....	script supervisor
Lionel Kaplan	....	technical advisor
Joshua Logan	....	stage director
Irving Temaner	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Sudan Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia (1959) (France) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (The Kim Novak Collection)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #19293)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Sudan Productions

Trivia:

The original Broadway production of "Middle of the Night" opened at the ANTA Playhouse in New York on February 8, 1956, ran for 477 performances and received two Tony Award acting nominations. Paddy Chayefsky wrote the stage play and adapted his work for the movie version. Effie Afton, Martin Balsam, Lee Philips and 'Betty Walker' recreated their stage roles for the movie version.

Quotes:

Walter Lockman:And when they bury me, they can put on the gravestone, 'This was a big waste of time.'

Movie Connections:

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

This is a jewel of a movie

that I taped years ago and watch every so often. It's a good thing I did as it is not yet available on either VHS or DVD. The first time I ever saw this movie on television was way back when I was a teenager and I was babysitting. It's one of those movies where each time I watch it I see things I missed before; either in someone's performance or in the way a scene is filmed or something else. Fredric March is just flawless as a self-made businessman and widower in his fifties and Kim Novak is edgy as the beautiful but damaged and insecure young woman working at his company. Everyone calls her somnambulistic, but in this movie I could feel her nerves jump right through her skin at times. I thought she was very good in the role. I have to mention that one of my favorite characters in it is the son-in-law, Jack, played by Martin Balsam--a fantastic actor, of course, but he is so great in this, that, although he's not in many scenes--he just knocks me over every time I watch it. The characters all sound so true to life, of course, because they were written by Paddy Chayefsky. I found the subject matter fascinating and believable and although the standout performance was definitely that of Fredric March, playing all facets of a mature man, all actors involved were right on the mark. When WILL they make this movie available on VHS or DVD? My home-made tape looks crummy, I admit it! (And the movie is hardly ever shown on television any more) Anyway, this is one of my favorite 100 films.