This Could Be the Night *** (1957, Jean Simmons, Paul Douglas, Anthony Franciosa) – Classic Movie Review 10,912

Director Robert Wise’s likeable 1957 MGM black and white and CinemaScope comedy drama This Could Be the Night stars Jean Simmons, Paul Douglas and Anthony Franciosa.

Innocent school teacher Anne Leeds (Jean Simmons) takes a part-time job with hood Rocco (Paul Douglas) as his secretary at a seedy nightclub in New York, in this Damon Runyon-influenced drama, lashing out in all directions – comedy, romance and music.

This could be a bumpy night, but the acting is lively, the story, situations and characters are fun, while the script and direction have a vitality of their own. Jean Simmons is good, and was Golden Globe nominated as Best Actress – Comedy or Musical in 1958, and Paul Douglas’s role fits him like a glove.

Franciosa (in his début) is charming as Douglas’s lothario minion/ junior partner in the club Tony Armotti, who of course falls for Simmons.

Isobel Lennart’s screenplay is based on Cornelia Baird Gross’s short stories.

And just when you expect colour, it is in black and white.

Also in the cast are Julie Wilson, Joan Blondell, J Carrol Naish as chef Leon, Zasu Pitts as landlady Mrs Katie Shea, Neile Adams as strip-dancer Patsy St Clair, Rafael Campos as busboy Hussein Mohammed, Tom Helmore, Murvyn Vye, Vaughn Taylor, William Joyce, and James Todd.

Unfortunately it was another flop for Jean Simmons, resulting in a loss to MGM of $804,000.

This Could Be the Night is directed by Robert Wise, runs 104 minutes, is made and released by MGM, is written by Isobel Lennart, based on Cornelia Baird Gross’s short stories, is shot black and white and CinemaScope by Russell Harlan, is produced by Joe Pasternak and is scored by George Stoll.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,912

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