WAGONS ROLL AT NIGHT
US, 1941, 83 minutes, Black and white.
Humphrey Bogart, Sylvia Sidney, Eddie Albert, Joan Leslie, Sig Ruman.
Directed by Ray Enright.
The Wagons Roll at Night is a remake of the 1937 Kid Galahad. (This was remade in the '60s with Elvis Presley and Charles Bronson.) It is a circus story with Humphrey Bogart as the owner of the circus, Sylvia Sidney as a fortune teller, a young Eddie Albert as a genial man who becomes the lion tamer and falls in love with Bogart's sister, played by Joan Leslie. There are many melodramatic situations - which are not entirely believable, especially Bogart's wanting Albert to be destroyed by the lions.
Bogart was at a transition stage of his career when this film was made, about to make Maltese Falcon, They Drive By Night and then Casablanca. Eddie Albert seemed to be being groomed as a young hero, but had a much more successful career, and a long one, as a character actor.
1. Popular '40s thriller and melodrama, stars?
2. Warner Bros. style, black and white photography, the carnival, the country-side? Atmospheric score?
3. The Kid Galahad story and its adaptation? Popular story? Credible?
4. The world of the circus, Nick and his ownership, his disdain of the life on the road, reference to the circus people as vermin? His attachment to Flo? The give and take? His discussions with Hoffmann, Hoffmann's drinking, eventually sacking him? Doc and the staff? On the road? Wanting
something spectacular, responding to needs - and seeing Matt as a lion tamer?
5. The episode with the lion escaping, in the grocery store, Matt and the store, the customers, hiding the little girl, the woman fainting - and the cheese. His skill in holding the lion, his flair for animals? Becoming a celebrity, Nick's idea for him to take a bow in the lion cage? The clash with Hoffmann? Flo's help? Having to do the show with Hoffmann drunk? His skills? The clash with Hoffmann at the bar, Hoffmann returning to the circus, the lion mauling him? Flo organising the escape from the police? Finding Mary, falling in love? Nick making him promise never to see her? His mooning around, asking Flo for advice, going to visit Mary? Nick's
arrival, the set-up to go into the lions' cage with Caesar, coping with the lions, their attack? Nick saving him? The happy ending?
6. Mary, young and attractive, coming home from school, in love with Matt, the letters, the visit, Flo coming, their driving to the circus and her final pleading with Nick?
7. Nick and his business sense, relationship with Flo, putting Matt in the circus, his plan? Jealousy of his sister, making Matt promise never to see her, his anger in finding out the truth, the set-up, emptying the bullets from the gun, letting Matt go into the cage, the women pleading, his going to help, his death - and forgiveness?
8. Flo as attractive, telling fortunes, attachment to Nick, attracted to Matt, his asking her for advice, her sadness, helping him with Mary? Going to get Mary and bringing her to the circus?
9. Doc, the circus staff, the sideshows. the acts. their style?
10. Hoffmann and his drinking, the lions, irresponsibility. attack on Matt, the lion mauling him?
11. The world of the circus, the audience, animals. excitement and fear?
12. Enjoyable '40s melodrama? Types and values? Popular entertainment?
