A KISS IN THE DARK
US, 1949, 89 minutes, Black and white.
David Niven, Jane Wyman, Victor Moore, Wayne Morris, Broderick Crawford, Maria Ouspenskaya.
Directed by Delmer Daves.
A Kiss in the Dark is a light (very light) romantic comedy. The plot doesn’t really make all that much sense – but the combination of David Niven and Jane Wyman is excellent. They play very well off each other. Victor Moore gives yet another quite endearing performance as a bumbling manager of an apartment block. Wayne Morris is the burly insurance agent. Broderick Crawford, not very successfully, gives a comic performance as a night worker who wants to sleep during the day. Veteran dignified actress Maria Ouspenskaya appears in her final film.
The film was directed by Delmer Daves, writer and director of Warner Bros melodramas and dramas in the 1940s. However, after Broken Arrow in 1950, amongst his many films of the 1950s were some fine westerns including Jubal, 3:10 to Yuma, The Last Wagon, Cowboy. His last seven films in the 1960s were all romantic melodramas, Susan Slade, A Summer Place, Battle of the Villa Fiorita.
1. A pleasant romantic? The light touch?
2. The New York setting, the world of apartment blocks, of classical pianists, of photo modelling? The combination? The musical score?
3. The introduction to Eric Phillips, David Niven and his suave manner, his stage fright, fearing his career was at an end, his twenty-one years of concerts, his performance, the fans? His being pampered and controlled by his manager? The butler? Peter Danilo managing his affairs, buying the apartment block? His encounter with Mr Willoughby, the discussion, the arrest? His going to the apartment block?
4. Jane Wyman as Polly, posing for the photographer, his listening to the music? Her bumping into Eric while vacuuming? The two clicking? Her place in the apartment block, talking to Eric, persuading him to do more?
5. The situation at the block, the confrontation with Eric, his meeting the tenants? The meeting on the roof? The promises? The contrast with Mr Botts, his night work, his wanting to sleep during the day? His tantrums? The knockout? Eric and the practising next door, Mr Botts’ desperation – and his finally leaving? His crankiness towards all the residents?
6. Polly, the relationship with Bruce, his insurance work? The suggestion about insuring Eric’s hands? The focus on his hands? The end, Bruce and the contract, telling Eric that Polly had started it? the falling out? At the railway station, signing the contract, Eric’s strong hands because of his playing? The KO to Bruce, the KO to Mr Danilo?
7. Polly and her determining to humanise Eric? The discussions, the outings, music? With the kids, his lecture on music, the failure of the lean-to, his being caught in the animal trap? His exasperation? Polly and her theory of humanising him? Her theory of propinquity? Eric and his disappointment with Polly? Danilo not giving the news about the phone calls?
8. Mr Willoughby, Eric’s exasperation, sacking him? Reinstating him? His trapping Polly and Eric in the room until the last moment?
9. The background of musical concerts, the practice, the insurance, the finance, performances and fans?
10. The visit to Madame Karina, her wise advice?
11. The happy ending, everything resolved?
