NIGHT INTO MORNING
US, 1951, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Ray Milland, Nancy Davis, John Hodiak, Jean Hagen, Lewis Stone, Dawn Addams.
Directed by Fletcher Markle.
Night Into Morning is a small-budget black and white feature from MGM in the early 50s, a time when supporting films for double programs had strong casts. Oscar winner Ray Milland is the focus of this film, playing a professor whose wife and child are accidentally killed and who cannot cope, refuses to grieve, continues to work stoically, begins to drink. Nancy Davis (Nancy Reagan) is a good friend, a war widow who helps him in his grief. Jean Hagen has a small role as the woman next door.
The film is of its time, shows middle America – but is strong on issues of grief and grief counselling.
1.Interesting film? Entertaining? Of its time?
2.Middle America, homes, hotels, universities? Black and white photography? Musical score?
3.The credibility of the plot, the title and its focus on Philip’s journey of grief?
4.Death, the quotation from Richard II about grief and death, the sadness of death, the war widows from World War Two, accidental deaths, the inability to grieve, the stoic lack of emotion, emphasis on intellect rather than emotions, the need for weeping, the consequences in life, aggression, drinking? How well did the film illustrate the pathology of someone unable to grieve?
5.The focus on the young boy at the beginning, in the flower garden, the complaints of the neighbour, Philip and Timmy, Anne? The happy family? The explosion, death, the funeral?
6.Philip, married twelve years, devoted to his son? Love for his wife? Going to work, the lecture on Shakespeare, Richard II, the students? The impact of the news, his grief at home? Not weeping? The funeral, going to work? Going to the hotel, drinking, Edith and her friendship, buying him the bottle? In his room, lonely? His friendship with Katherine, knowing her grief, her attempts to help him? Tom and his help, his inability to understand at times? The sympathy of the head of department, the faculty? The possibility of a holiday? His refusal, his severity with the students, inquisition in class, severity of exams, failing Chuck? The appeal by Dottie? The continued intervention by Katherine? His signing his goods away to them, the attempt at suicide, Katherine sensing it, saving him? The breakdown and weeping? His return to Tom, to the class, his final speech to them about the interconnectedness of their lives?
7.Katherine, war widow, working at the university, her love for Tom? Her continued interest in Philip, devotion to him, intervening, trying to help, getting Tom to follow to the hotel, sensing that he was going to commit suicide? The tension of her relationship with Tom?
8.Tom, at the university, not having suffered such grief, love for Katherine, trying to help Philip, Philip’s refusal, Katherine’s continual help, his jealousy, anger at her? The reconciliation?
9.The minor characters in Philip’s grief, the neighbouring boy and giving him the bike yet frightening him, the final gift? The girl next door, her advances? Dottie and her coming to plead with him, the driving, the accident, the humiliation of his being in court, fined? Chuck and his sport, baby sitting for Phil, his failure in the exam, the discussions about Richard II? The kindly waitress at the hotel?
10.University life, the atmosphere, support? Philip and his saying all the right things about coping – yet not coping?
