Night Song (1948 film)

Night Song is a 1948 American drama film directed by John Cromwell and starring Dana Andrews, Merle Oberon and Ethel Barrymore.

Night Song
1948 half-height US Theatrical Poster
Directed byJohn Cromwell
Produced byHarriet Parsons
Screenplay byFrank Fenton
Dick Irving Hyland
DeWitt Bodeen (adaptation)
StarringDana Andrews
Merle Oberon
Ethel Barrymore
Music byLeith Stevens
Constantin Bakaleinikoff
CinematographyLucien Ballard
Edited byHarry Marker
Distributed byRKO Pictures
Release date
  • January 20, 1948 (1948-01-20) (U.S.)[1]
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.7 million (US rentals)[2]

Plot

Wealthy San Francisco socialite Cathy Mallory (Oberon) is entranced by the music of nightclub pianist Dan Evans (Andrews), who is blind. He is bitter and resents a potential lady bountiful's attempt to become his patron saint

Next time she's at the club, bandleader Chick Morgan (Hoagy Carmichael) informs her that Dan has quit. Cathy arranges to meet him on a public beach as if by coincidence and introduces herself as Mary Willey, a woman of limited means who is also blind. They strike up a relationship and Dan explains how he lost his sight from another driver's car crash.

Going to great lengths to continue the ruse, she and longtime companion Mrs. Willey rent an inexpensive apartment. Dan is persuaded to resume writing a piano concerto. Cathy sponsors a $5,000 prize for a contest without telling him, confident Dan's music will win. It does and will be performed at Carnegie Hall by the famed pianist Artur Rubinstein.

Dan uses the money to undergo an operation in New York that restores his vision. At the contest, he meets Cathy Mallory and is attracted to her. He enjoys his newfound sight, spending time with her, but when he listens to the concert it stirs memories of Mary. He tells Chick to break the news to Cathy that he is going back to Mary. He and Chick take the train while Cathy and her aunt fly through the night. When he arrives at the “clean but crummy” apartment, he hears Mary playing his music. He walks in, sees her—and smiles. Her aunt watches approvingly from the kitchen as they embrace.

Cast

Production

The working titles of this film were Counterpoint and Memory of Love. RKO borrowed Dana Andrews from Samuel Goldwyn's company for the picture. He wore special contact lenses that made his eyes appear damaged and made it impossible for him to see. Scenes were shot in San Francisco, Trancas Beach and Lake Arrowhead, California, and in various locations in New York City. Because of logistical problems at Carnegie Hall, the entire concert was filmed on a soundstage. Andrews reprised his role in a May 29, 1950 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast, co-starring Joan Fontaine.[4]

Reception

The film recorded a loss of $1,040,000.[5][6]

New York Times critic Bosley Crowther panned the film for its “incredibly mawkish plot“ adding “...the music, the prize concerto—well, that is really the thing which puts Night Song in the spotlight as baldfaced and absolute sham. For this scrappy and meaningless jangle by Leith Stevens is good for nothing more than an excuse for filming the fiddles, the drums and the batteries of horns. And if Mr. Rubinstein and Mr. Ormandy can swallow it, along with their pride, they must have pretty strong stomachs. We'll take Mr. Carmichael's nonsense ditty, "Who Killed 'er," please.”[7]

References
  1. "Night Song: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  2. "Top Grossers of 1948", Variety 5 January 1949 p 46
  3. The end credits clearly confirm what is said in the film. Miss Willey has never been married. The AFI Catalog is wrong in saying that she is Mrs. Willey.
  4. "Night Song (1948)". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  5. Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931-1951', Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television, Vol 14 No 1, 1994 p46
  6. Richard B. Jewell, Slow Fade to Black: The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures, Uni of California, 2016
  7. Crowther, Bosley (1948-01-29). "'Night Song,' Story of a Blind Composer, Opens at Palace -- Dana Andrews in Lead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
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