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Night Song (1948 film)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = Night Song
| image = Night Song 1948 poster.jpg
| caption = 1948 half-height US Theatrical Poster
| director = John Cromwell
| producer = Harriet Parsons
| screenplay = Frank Fenton
Dick Irving Hyland
DeWitt Bodeen (adaptation)
| story = Dick Irving Hyland
| starring = Dana Andrews
Merle Oberon
Ethel Barrymore
| music = Leith Stevens
Constantin Bakaleinikoff
| cinematography = Lucien Ballard
| editing = Harry Marker
| distributor = RKO Pictures
| released =
| runtime = 102 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross = $1.7 million (US rentals)[https://archive.org/stream/variety173-1949-01#page/n45/mode/1up "Top Grossers of 1948", 'Variety' 5 January 1949 p 46]
}}
'Night Song' is a 1948 American drama film directed by John Cromwell and starring Dana Andrews, Merle Oberon and Ethel Barrymore.
Plot
Wealthy San Francisco socialite Cathy Mallory is entranced by the music of blind nightclub pianist Dan Evans. He is bitter and resents a lady's attempt to become his patron.
Bandleader Chick Morgan informs Cathy that Dan has quit. Cathy arranges to meet Dan at the beach and introduces herself as Mary Willey, a woman of limited means who is also blind. They begin a romantic relationship and Dan explains how he lost his sight in an automobile accident.
To continue the ruse, Cathy and longtime companion Mrs. Willey rent an inexpensive apartment. Dan is persuaded to resume writing a piano concerto. Cathy sponsors a $5,000 prize for a contest without telling him, confident Dan's music will win. After the music wins the contest, it is to be performed at Carnegie Hall by the famed pianist Arthur Rubinstein.
Dan uses the money to undergo an operation in New York that restores his vision. At the contest, he meets Cathy and is attracted to her. He enjoys his newfound sight, spending time with her, but when he listens to the concert, it stirs memories of Mary. He advises Chick to inform Cathy that he is returning to Mary. He and Chick take the train while Cathy and her aunt fly through the night. When he arrives at the apartment, he hears Mary playing his music. He walks in, sees her and smiles. Her aunt watches approvingly from the kitchen as they embrace.
Cast
* Dana Andrews as Dan Evans
* Merle Oberon as Cathy Mallory / Mary Willey
* Ethel Barrymore as Miss WilleyThe end credits clearly confirm what is said in the film. Miss Willey has never been married. The AFI Catalog is wrong in saying that she is Mrs. Willey.
* Hoagy Carmichael as Chick Morgan
* Arthur Rubinstein as Himself
* Eugene Ormandy as Himself
* Jacqueline White as Connie
* Donald Curtis as George
* Walter Reed as Jimmy
* Jane Jones as Mamie
Production
The film's working titles were 'Counterpoint' and 'Memory of Love'. RKO borrowed Dana Andrews from Samuel Goldwyn's company for the project.
Andrews wore special contact lenses that made his eyes appear damaged and limited his eyesight.
Scenes were shot in San Francisco, Trancas Beach and Lake Arrowhead, California and in various locations in New York City. Because of logistical problems at Carnegie Hall, the entire concert was filmed on a soundstage. Andrews reprised his role in a May 29, 1950 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast costarring Joan Fontaine.
Reception
In a contemporary review for 'The New York Times', critic Bosley Crowther panned the film's "incredibly mawkish plot" and added: "Our old friend, the young musician who has a great concerto chasing through his mind but can't get it down on paper becausewell, something's eating on him, is back again ... and, so far as this reviewer sees things, neither he nor his concerto are improved. As a matter of fact, for our money, they are both worn uncomfortably thin in comparison to previous incarnations, and neither is long for this world. ... [T]he music, the prize concertowell, that is really the thing which puts 'Night Song' in the spotlight as baldfaced and absolute sham. For this scrappy and meaningless jangle by Leith Stevens is good for nothing more than an excuse for filming the fiddles, the drums and the batteries of horns."
The film recorded a loss of $1,040,000.Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931-1951', 'Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television', Vol 14 No 1, 1994 p46Richard B. Jewell, 'Slow Fade to Black: The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures', Uni of California, 2016
References
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