NIGHTFALL

US, 1956, 78 minutes, Black-and-white.
Aldo Ray, Brian Keith, Anne Bancroft, James Gregory, Jocelyn Brando, Frank Albertson, Rudy Bond.
Directed by Jacques Tourneur.

Director, Jacques Tourneur, made some of the old Val Lewton horror films in the 1940s, including Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie and The Leopard Man. In the 1950s he made a number of genre films including this thriller.

The film focuses on Aldo Ray as a bewildered war veteran, wandering the city, under surveillance from an insurance agent played interestingly by James Gregory. Ray is suspected of having the money from a bank robbery. It means then that he is on the run, has been for some time, taking various jobs, but intending to return to Montana where he had been on holiday with a Dr friend and had encountered the robbers who killed his friend, taking his bag by mistake in leaving the money behind which he then hid.

He encounters a young woman, played by Anne Bancroft, who is charming but has been employed to lead him to the robbers. He is abducted, tortured but will not reveal the whereabouts of the money. He escapes, goes to the young woman, relies on her help – though, interestingly, there is a delay because she has to take part in a fashion parade – and they buy a ticket to Montana, the agent following them on the bus.

The robbers have been their first, confront the group pursuing them, but there is a shootout, one of the robbers, Brian Keith, finding the other one obnoxious. Is a film of the 1950s and there is a happy ending.

1. A 1950s film noir, the work of the director, French background, horror films of the 1940s? The cast in their careers?

2. The title, the title song?

3. Chicago, the city, apartments, the streets, diners? Travel through the states, a bus trip? Wyoming, the countryside, the snow? The hut? The musical score?

4. The focus on Jim, wandering the city, Ben Fraser, talking with him? Going to the bar, the encounter with Marie? The drink, asking for the cash? Having dinner, their being accosted in the street, Marie thinking it was the police?

5. John and Red, the bank robbery? The warehouse, interrogating Jim? John in control? Red and his violence? Jim unable to give an answer?

6. The flashbacks, Jim, the holiday with the doctor, their friendship, seeing the crash, helping, the similarity of the bags, the confrontation, the shooting of the doctor by Red, taking the wrong bag? Jim, hiding the bag, his disappearance? His taking various jobs, returning to Chicago, intending to go back for the money?

7. Marie, model, the touch of glamour, talking with Jim, the money, the dinner, the setup, her return home, Jim coming to her apartment, the truth, the attraction, packing, the bus ticket, the fashion show and the touch of glamour, the escape?

8. Ben Fraser, insurance, on-the-job, becoming obsessed, talking with Jim in the street? At home, the support of his wife? Getting the bus ticket, travelling on the bus? Talking with Jim?

9. Wyoming, the three together, retracing the steps, searching for the bag?

10. John and Red, retrieving the bag, the confrontation, the threats? The discussions, John and his disliking Red, shooting him? Red and his violence, the fight with Jim and the snow plough?

11. The confrontation, Jim and John, the fight, death? Leading to a happy and satisfactory ending?