All in a Night's Work (1961)

Tony Ryder takes over his dead uncle's media empire while trying to keep quiet the mysterious circumstances of his death in a Palm Beach hotel room.

Director:

Joseph Anthony

Writers:

Edmund Beloin (screenplay), Maurice Richlin (screenplay)

Stars:

Dean Martin, Shirley MacLaine, Cliff Robertson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dean Martin	...	Tony Ryder
Shirley MacLaine	...	Katie Robbins
Cliff Robertson	...	Warren Kingsley, Jr.
Charles Ruggles	...	Dr. Warren Kingsley Sr. (as Charlie Ruggles)
Norma Crane	...	Marge Coombs
Jack Weston	...	Lasker
John Hudson	...	Harry Lane
Jerome Cowan	...	Sam Weaver
Gale Gordon	...	Oliver Dunning
Ralph Dumke	...	Baker
Mabel Albertson	...	Mrs. Kingsley Sr.
Rex Evans	...	Carter
Mary Treen	...	Miss Schuster
Roy Gordon	...	Albright
Ian Wolfe	...	O'Hara

Storyline

Colonel Ryder, the publisher of a magazine, dies while on vacation. Tony, his swinging nephew, inherits the magazine and takes over. Presently, the magazine is planning to expand and to do so they need some capital. Tony's trying to arrange a loan through his friend. He is then informed by the hotel detective of the hotel that his uncle died in, that on the night of his death, a woman, wearing only a towel, came out of his room, and ran away before the detective could catch up with her. They suspect that the Colonel was "with" her on the night he died, cause he was smiling when he died. Tony and two of his uncle's confidants are worried that not only if the bank hears of this they will not get the loan but the magazine wholesome image could be tarnished. So they ask the detective to stay around so he could identify her. What they don't know is that the woman is Katie Robbins, one of the magazine's researchers and that she entered the room by "accident". When the detective identifies ...

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel | based on play | new york city | hotel room | hotel detective | 

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Taglines:

It's nice work - and you can get it!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of only six films made by leading Broadway director Joseph Anthony.

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Goofs

When Dr. Warren Kingsley Sr. and Mrs. Kingsley visit at Katie's home the shadow of the microphone is visible on the wall.

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Quotes

Katie Robbins: Congratulations are in order for me. I am the ten-millionth lady to cross this bridge!

User Reviews

Typical 60's rom-com, only made distinguishable by a good cast

.Dean Martin really goes out on a limb (eye roll) and portrays a playboy named Tony Ryder..am I crazy or are all 60's comedy playboy leads given names like that? Or maybe Chad Stone? Anyway, Martin is the only relative of a wealthy publishing czar, so when his rich uncle dies in a Florida hotel he inherits the mega-million dollar business. There's just one problem: hotel detective Jack Weston tells him that he saw a woman in a towel running from uncle's room..and she dropped a unique earring with a Chinese symbol on her way out.

The typical board--all old white guys who only want to keep their cu$hy jobs, are convinced the empire of 'family friendly' magazines would be hurt if such a scandal was uncovered, so they hire Weston to find the woman and offer her a nice sum for a nice NDA. It turns out it's no coincidence that Shirley MacLaine (a researcher at the company) was in Florida too..in that hotel..and yes, in uncle's room. MacLaine ended up in there while escaping the advances of another old wealthy fellow after she saved him from drowning, but has no idea she's the elusive mystery woman. When she sobs loudly at the funeral while wearing the same suspect earrings, the board and Martin are convinced everything she does and says is to extract hush money from them..while she remains clueless to their attention.

Added to the mix are her conservative veterinarian fiancé, Cliff Robertson, and his judgmental mother Mabel Anderson and dad Charles Ruggles. One of the better scenes is watching Ruggles and MacLaine get tipsy at a restaurant, singing and dancing..much to the chagrin of mother and son. If you don't know how the movie is going to end, you haven't seen enough 60's rom-coms. It's the formula of mistaken identity/misunderstandings, but even with a good cast, this one falls below the Doris/Rock offerings in the genre. A nice little diversion, but nothing special

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 March 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

All in a Night's Work

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wallis-Hazen

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1