Open All Night ** (1934, Frank Vosper, Margaret Vines, Geraldine Fitzgerald) – Classic Movie Review 13,226

American poster for Open All Night (1934).

The 1934 drama film Open All Night stars Frank Vosper in a mild but unusual and involving little Thirties British support feature about an exiled Russian grand duke, now the night manager of a London hotel.

Director George Pearson’s 1934 drama film Open All Night stars Frank Vosper and Margaret Vines in a mild but unusual and involving little Thirties British support feature about an exiled Russian grand duke, Anton (Vosper), now the night manager of a London hotel-restaurant, who kills himself to save a young woman from a murder charge.

With its creaky-looking sets and static locations, this Grand Hotel inspired film is obviously cheaply made (though even so probably generous for a quota quickie), but Pearson directs briskly from John Chancellor’s play, the sombre story maintains its interest, and Vosper’s fine Emil Jannings-style performance still impresses. Geraldine Fitzgerald notably plays a typist blackmailed into the arms her predatory manager because she stole £20 from her employer.

The cast are Frank Vosper as Anton, Margaret Vines as Elsie Warren, Gillian Lind as Maysie, Lewis Shaw as Bill Warren, Leslie Perrins as Ranger, Colin Keith-Johnston as Henry, Geraldine Fitzgerald as Jill, and Michael Shepley as Hilary.

Open All Night is directed by George Pearson, runs 63 minutes, is made by Real Art, is released by RKO Radio Pictures, is written by Gerard Fairlie, is shot by Ernest Palmer, is produced by Julius Hagen, is scored by William Trytel, and is designed by James Carter.

It was made at Twickenham Studios in London as a quota quickie by Julius Hagen for Real Art and distribution by RKO Radio Pictures  It was later released in the US as Murder by Appointment.

Vosper died mysteriously at sea on March 6, 1937, falling overboard and drowning during a voyage from New York to England aboard the transatlantic liner Paris. He played the assassin in Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), and is also known for Rome Express (1932), Waltzes from Vienna (1933) and Jew Süss.

Prolific British writer-producer-director Pearson started in films at the age of 37 in 1912 after a career as a schoolmaster and lived till he was 98.

German-born British film producer Julius Hagen [Julius Jacob Kleimenhagen] (1884–1940) From 1928 to 1937 he controlled Twickenham Studios and became one of the most successful producers of quota quickies. He directed one of the earliest quota quickies: The Passing of Mr Quin, an Agatha Christie adaptation.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,226

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