This Could Be the Night (1957)

Jean Simmons (a school teacher) takes a secretarial job in a nightclub. The two club owners quibble about a lot, including her. Unfortunately, she develops an interest for the partner who disapproves of her employment at the club.

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Cornelia Baird Gross (short stories), Isobel Lennart

Stars:

Jean Simmons, Paul Douglas, Anthony Franciosa

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Simmons	...	Anne Leeds
Paul Douglas	...	Rocco
Anthony Franciosa	...	Tony Armotti
Julie Wilson	...	Ivy Corlane
Neile Adams	...	Patsy St. Clair
Joan Blondell	...	Crystal St. Clair
J. Carrol Naish	...	Leon - Chef
Rafael Campos	...	Hussein Mohammed
Zasu Pitts	...	Mrs. Katie Shea - Landlady
Tom Helmore	...	Stowe Devlin
Murvyn Vye	...	Waxie London
Vaughn Taylor	...	Ziggy Dawit - Columnist
Frank Ferguson	...	Mr. Shea - Landlord
William Joyce	...	Bruce Cameron (as William Ogden Joyce)
James Todd	...	Mr. Hallerby

Storyline

Jean Simmons (a school teacher) takes a secretarial job in a nightclub. The two club owners quibble about a lot, including her. Unfortunately, she develops an interest for the partner who disapproves of her employment at the club.

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Plot Keywords:

nightclub | reference to casanova | gangster | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 1957 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Protection is a Tough Racket

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,569,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) 4-Track Stereo

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film flopped at the box office, resulting in a loss to MGM of $804,000 ($7.2M in 2018) according to studio records.

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Quotes

Tony Armotti: I want to talk to Patsy about Patsy. She's been like a sleepwalker all week. You know, it's gettin' so the customers are too polite to applaud. They're afraid they'll wake her up.

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Connections

Featured in Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool (2005)

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Soundtracks

Taking A Chance On Love
(uncredited)
Music by Vernon Duke
Lyrics by John La Touche and Ted Fetter
Performed by Julie Wilson

User Reviews

The Spayed Smell of Success

The handsome wide-screen, black-and-white cinematography and '50s-nitery milieu will remind you of "Sweet Smell of Success" -- there's even a nasty Broadway gossip columnist lurking about -- and this uneven MGM musical-comedy-drama plays kind of like a defanged version of that classic. Had it been filmed on location, it might have gotten by on atmosphere, but this is strictly a soundstage Times Square hangout, and there's not much kick to the proceedings. The central quandary: Should "nice girl" Jean Simmons be taking a part-time job as a secretary in a seedy nightclub? It's not an earth-shaking issue, nor are the subplots -- a cooch dancer wants to win a bake-off, a busboy is failing algebra, etc. The denizens of the club are a raffish and likable bunch, and the point, if there is one, is about how all kinds of New Yorkers can coexist. But the Franciosa/ Simmons romance is unconvincing -- it's one of those why-don't-you-grab-her-and-kiss-her affairs, messily and predictably set up -- and the ending feels arbitrary. The main compensation: legendary chanteuse Julie Wilson, with more curves than the B&O, growling out "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die." If this club has such classy entertainment, how come it's populated by so many lowlifes?