MIDNIGHT INTRUDER
US, 1938, 68 minutes, Black-and-white.
Louis Hayward, J.C.Nugent, Eric Linden, Barbara Read, Irving Bacon, Robert Greig, Pierre Watkin, Sheila Bromley, Nana Bryant, Joseph Crehan.
Directed by Arthur Lubin.
This is a supporting feature from Universal Studios in the late 1930s. The first part of the film reflects the kind of screwball comedy that was popular in the decade. The screenplay is based on a short story by Channing Pollock with the better title, Welcome Impostor.
Louis Hayward and J. C. Nugent are inveterate gamblers who lose of the races, get drenched in the rain, find a mansion that seems to be deserted, break a window and get in and settle down. The mansion is owned by a newspaper proprietor who is away on travels. His alienated son is expected back at any time but the servants are ready. So, there is the humour in the very exuberant Louis Hayward taking control of the situation, pretending to be the son, his associate being rather anxious. There are cables to the concerned mother, letters from the son, cash at hand, the chauffeur – and he is being welcomed with all his family to stay in the house – and a very proper butler, Robert Greig.
The two interlopers do a lot of socialising, meet a judge and his rather patronising daughter (Barbara Read is not entirely persuasive as the romantic lead nor in her falling in love with Hayward and he with her). There is a scene at a nightclub where a gangster type attacks one of the dancers whom he accuses of pickpocketing him – and the second part of the film is a murder investigation, the gangster being murdered, the husband of the woman accused of pickpocketing declared the murderer. The complication is that the judge is on the phone with the gangster and had gone to his house, witnessed by taxi driver.
And, the irony is that the woman from the club goes to get the help of Hayward and reveals that she is married to the real son. Lots of complications with cables to the mother, getting money, hiring a sympathetic lawyer, Hayward being persuaded to go to work, his being offered a job on the local paper, his doing a gossip column, trying to track down the murderer.
In the meantime, Hayward’s associate has attracted a dowager and they get married!
All sorted out, Hayward has the job, remains with the judge’s daughter – and a pleasant blend of 30s themes of comedy as well as murders and investigations.
