It Happpened In One Night

 

I was thinking of movies that take place over a day and then I thought, what about the night which does not involve zombies, vampires or homicidal maniacs. Here are my 3…

1. ARSENIC AND OLD LACE-1944

I want to own this film which I find hilarious. Cary Grant plays Mortimer Brewster, an author who writes about how marriage is so wrong, but he is marrying his girl next door, played so well by Pricilla Lane. After avoiding the reporters, they go back to their childhood homes to pack things up and start their life together. Little does Mortimer know that his 2 beautiful aunts have been killing men they feel are all alone. He finds out that the elderberry wine is spiked with something a bit stronger than wine. Their brother, who believes himself to be Teddy Roosevelt, is told there is another yellow fever victim. The night is young and gets even worse when Mortimer’s murderous brother and his sidekick doctor make an appearance at this  wonky home. Over the next few hours, Mortimer saves an old cuss ready to drink the wine while trying not to be killed by his brother and get his aunts committed to the home for the missed nuts. Frank Capra directed a very funny comedy with many character actors shining over the lead, Cary Grant. In fact, Grant hated his over-enthusiastic portrayal of his character. Some people agree but I think his acting fits right in. It’s a very funny screwball comedy.

2. ROPE-1948

I finally saw this Hitchcock film last year that stars James Stewart as a professor of 2 students who feel the need to put one over the professor by killing their mutual friend and hiding the body in a big chest. These 2 men, who live together, and show all the markings of 2 gay men which was quite daring back in the day, decide to have a dinner party inviting much older people, including the victim’s parents and his fiancée. We proceed to follow these men, one loving the cat and mouse feel while the other an F’d up mess, as they talk to their guests taking the food off this big chest that holds the body of the victim. Hitchcock loved trying different techniques and, with Rope, he filmed the scene in one long 10 minute take which was the length of the film in the camera. When it was time to change the film, the camera would centre on, for example, Stewart’s back before the new 10 minute piece would begin. The whole film takes place in one set and you still feel the suspense. It’s not one of Hitchcock’s best film but it is still one to see. This film is based on the famous Leopold and Loeb case from the 1920s where these 2 students killed a friend just to feel what it was like.

3. AMERICAN GRAFFITI-1973

I can’t believe this film is 52 years old….it just can’t be, since I remember when this came out. This is a classic film about the last night of kids who will be venturing off to college the next day. There are many different mini plots from Ron Howard and Cindi Williams as 2 high school sweethearts hoping their love will keep going as he goes off to college to Richard Dreyfuss trying to locate the blonde he saw in a car( memorably played by Suzanne Somers). We the the Toad, played by Paul LeMat, trying to impress a gal and John, Harrison Ford, who has to deal with a precocious 12 yr old, played by a young Mackenzie Phillips. It is set in 1962 and it’s a perfect telling of kids in all sorts of angst. The feel of the film and the great music provided the real DJ, Wolfman Jack, just sets this film on another level of teen films. It is a major film one needs to see.

Have you seen all these films? I know Stephen may have seen American Graffiti(LOL) and recommends it every time he can but are there any films you can think of that take place in one night that is not a horror film?