Night Must Fall
Encyclopedia
Night Must Fall is a play, a psychological thriller, by Emlyn Williams
, first performed in 1935.
, with her intelligent yet subdued niece, Olivia. Mrs Bramson spends all her time complaining while sitting in a wheelchair (although it is revealed during the play that she has in fact no disability whatsoever). She is thoroughly disliked by her two servants, Dora, a young, sensitive maid and Mrs Terrence, the cook, as well as Olivia, who Mrs. Bramson also treats as a servant.
One day, Dora reveals she is pregnant. Mrs Bramson considers firing her, but then decides to persuade the father of Dora's unborn child to marry her. The father turns out to be a suave, handsome young man named Danny. He almost immediately charms Mrs Bramson, causing her to forget all about Dora's pregnancy and take Danny on as her private assistant.
Olivia, however, isn't as taken in by the charming Danny as her aunt is; she feels that he is putting on a facade and lying to hide something sinister. Her suspicions grow when, a few days later, it is reported that a local beauty has gone missing. Believing Danny to be involved, she, the servants, and her pompous admirer, Hubert, go through Danny's things when he is not around, finding a picture of him and the missing woman buried among his belongings. This shocking discovery strengthens Olivia's suspicions and determination to prove that Danny is not what he seems.
Then one night, a human hand is found in the rubbish outside the house. Later on, a body is discovered in the woods — it is that of the missing woman, only without a head. Olivia now fears that Danny is a murderer. She also believes he keeps the head in a small hat box that he brought with him. Amidst all the chaos, Hubert tries to convince Olivia to come away with him and be his wife, but she refuses.
One night, Mrs Bramson reveals to Olivia that she has hundreds of pounds
locked away in a safe in the middle of the living room. Olivia warns her that it is not wise to leave a safe in plain sight, but Mrs Bramson refuses to listen. Later that night, Olivia tries again to confront Danny and he tells her about his past. She tells him why she puts up with her aunt, even saying that she wished she could kill her, to which Danny replies that she probably couldn't. The two share a brief moment of understanding.
They are interrupted by Belsize, a police officer from Scotland Yard
who has come to briefly question Olivia and Danny in connection with the murder. While interviewing Danny, Belsize discovers the locked hat box. He asks Danny for the key, but Danny says it is not his. As Belsize grows more persistent and suspicious, Olivia comes in and states that the hat box is hers and puts it in her room.
Later that night, the servants get ready to go home. Olivia also says she is leaving to stay with friends in London
. She tells Mrs. Bramson she is too frightened to stay in the house and warns her to get out of the house too. Mrs. Bramson again refuses to listen to her niece, thinking she is just being overexcited. As Dora and Mrs. Terrence prepare to leave, Danny decides to accompany them. Mrs. Bramson is left alone and for the first time, the audience sees that she too is terrified. Danny soon returns and gets Mrs. Bramson ready for bed.
When she drifts off to sleep, he gets a pillow and smothers her to death, although this is not explicitly shown. Danny then opens the safe and steals the money. He prepares to burn the house down, only to be interrupted by Olivia, who has come back and discovered her aunt's dead body. She tells Danny she has figured him out. Danny confesses. Just then, they see the lights of a police car coming to the house. Olivia says that the police must not get in, showing that she has fallen for Danny.
Belsize and some other officers arrest Danny. Dora and Mrs Terrence are also present. Olivia tries to implicate herself in the crime, but Danny will not let her, confessing that it was all his own work. Before he is dragged away, he looks in the mirror and talks to himself, proving he is in fact insane. Then he grabs Olivia and passionately kisses her.
Dan is first mentioned in the play when Dora is question by Mrs Bramson about her pregnancy. He is the father of Dora's unborn child as a result of a one night stand and is brought to see Mrs Bramson in order for her to persuade him to marry Dora. Dan remains very indifferent to Dora right to the end of the play.
He comes off as easy-going. He is friendly and cheerful with everyone around him and constantly grinning (artificially nonetheless). He is overly polite, unassuming, and apologetic, which is of course all an act.
He almost immediately endears himself to the unbearable and cynical Mrs Bramson, a testimony of his brilliant acting ability. He recognizes Mrs Bramson's relentless self-pity and plays up to her by passionately acknowledging and sympathizing with her. Going so far as to tell her she reminds him of his mother who was also sick (despite the fact that he never knew his mother). He fully realizes Mrs Bramson's belief that she is an invalid and that other people should do things for her, and he plays on this fact to get hired by her as her caretaker. He is successful at this to the point where Mrs Bramson offers him to call her "mother". As he charms Mrs Bramson more and more, he taunts Olivia (who is outspoken about her disliking him from the beginning) with sarcastic remarks.
The act he puts on is good enough to fool anyone except for Olivia who almost immediately senses the artificiality of his exaggerated amiability. Dan in turn recognizes Olivia's discontent and boredom at her life. At one point Olivia comments on the blankness of Dan's look. Since he knows Olivia does not buy his act, and upon her probing, Dan privately reveals to Olivia that he enjoys his act, much to Olivia's fascination. Dan claims he has been acting for so long that he doesn’t remember what he was "really" like. Olivia goes on to say her diagnosis of Dan would be that he has "no feelings at all".
Olivia openly tells Danny that she suspects him of being the killer. Danny confesses nothing but continues to taunt Olivia by provoking her suspicion with sarcastic remarks.
Dan has a fondness for alcohol and is slightly more open when drunk. At one point in the play a drunken Dan confides in Olivia about his true past and jokingly compliments her that she's the only woman he has ever told it to. He goes on to describe his laborious and undignified life as a pageboy, becoming more and more furious as he does. He finally breaks down in tears stating that nothing in the world troubles him except "a pair of eyes staring at [him]"
When Belsize arrives at the murder scene Olivia means to cover up for him (despite the fact that he openly intended to kill her). Dan however does not allow her to get mixed up and takes full responsibility for the murders; he's only noble act. In the end it is revealed the "eyes" that torment him are his own empty eyes.
Dan is a chain smoker and has a habit of putting the stub behind his ear. He can read but does so rather laboriously.
Dan hums and sings the following verses throughout the play, to the tune Mighty Lak' a Rose
.
"I'm a pretty little feller ... everybody knows ... Don't know what to call me--but I'm mighty lak a rose...."
"Their home addresses ... and their caresses ... linger in my memory of ... those beautiful dames"
was written by John Van Druten. It starred Robert Montgomery
, Rosalind Russell
, and Dame May Whitty
and was directed by Richard Thorpe
. Dame May Whitty revisited the same role from when the play was performed in London
and in New York City
.
The play was adapted into a radio play in April 1946 on Molle Mystery Theater and in March 1948 on the long-running radio drama series Suspense
, with Robert Montgomery and Dame May Whitty reprising their original roles.
A 1964 film remake
was directed by Karel Reisz
from a script by Clive Exton
, and starred Albert Finney
, Susan Hampshire
, and Sheila Hancock
, but was not as successful as the original film.
A Broadway revival in the 1990s starring Matthew Broderick
, essaying an Irish accent (as did Montgomery), rather than a Welsh one, performed respectably at the box office.
Emlyn Williams
George Emlyn Williams, CBE , known as Emlyn Williams, was a Welsh dramatist and actor.-Biography:He was born into a Welsh-speaking, working class family in Mostyn, Flintshire....
, first performed in 1935.
Play
Mrs Bramson, a bitter, fussy, self-pitying elderly woman, resides in a remote part of EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, with her intelligent yet subdued niece, Olivia. Mrs Bramson spends all her time complaining while sitting in a wheelchair (although it is revealed during the play that she has in fact no disability whatsoever). She is thoroughly disliked by her two servants, Dora, a young, sensitive maid and Mrs Terrence, the cook, as well as Olivia, who Mrs. Bramson also treats as a servant.
One day, Dora reveals she is pregnant. Mrs Bramson considers firing her, but then decides to persuade the father of Dora's unborn child to marry her. The father turns out to be a suave, handsome young man named Danny. He almost immediately charms Mrs Bramson, causing her to forget all about Dora's pregnancy and take Danny on as her private assistant.
Olivia, however, isn't as taken in by the charming Danny as her aunt is; she feels that he is putting on a facade and lying to hide something sinister. Her suspicions grow when, a few days later, it is reported that a local beauty has gone missing. Believing Danny to be involved, she, the servants, and her pompous admirer, Hubert, go through Danny's things when he is not around, finding a picture of him and the missing woman buried among his belongings. This shocking discovery strengthens Olivia's suspicions and determination to prove that Danny is not what he seems.
Then one night, a human hand is found in the rubbish outside the house. Later on, a body is discovered in the woods — it is that of the missing woman, only without a head. Olivia now fears that Danny is a murderer. She also believes he keeps the head in a small hat box that he brought with him. Amidst all the chaos, Hubert tries to convince Olivia to come away with him and be his wife, but she refuses.
One night, Mrs Bramson reveals to Olivia that she has hundreds of pounds
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
locked away in a safe in the middle of the living room. Olivia warns her that it is not wise to leave a safe in plain sight, but Mrs Bramson refuses to listen. Later that night, Olivia tries again to confront Danny and he tells her about his past. She tells him why she puts up with her aunt, even saying that she wished she could kill her, to which Danny replies that she probably couldn't. The two share a brief moment of understanding.
They are interrupted by Belsize, a police officer from Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
who has come to briefly question Olivia and Danny in connection with the murder. While interviewing Danny, Belsize discovers the locked hat box. He asks Danny for the key, but Danny says it is not his. As Belsize grows more persistent and suspicious, Olivia comes in and states that the hat box is hers and puts it in her room.
Later that night, the servants get ready to go home. Olivia also says she is leaving to stay with friends in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She tells Mrs. Bramson she is too frightened to stay in the house and warns her to get out of the house too. Mrs. Bramson again refuses to listen to her niece, thinking she is just being overexcited. As Dora and Mrs. Terrence prepare to leave, Danny decides to accompany them. Mrs. Bramson is left alone and for the first time, the audience sees that she too is terrified. Danny soon returns and gets Mrs. Bramson ready for bed.
When she drifts off to sleep, he gets a pillow and smothers her to death, although this is not explicitly shown. Danny then opens the safe and steals the money. He prepares to burn the house down, only to be interrupted by Olivia, who has come back and discovered her aunt's dead body. She tells Danny she has figured him out. Danny confesses. Just then, they see the lights of a police car coming to the house. Olivia says that the police must not get in, showing that she has fallen for Danny.
Belsize and some other officers arrest Danny. Dora and Mrs Terrence are also present. Olivia tries to implicate herself in the crime, but Danny will not let her, confessing that it was all his own work. Before he is dragged away, he looks in the mirror and talks to himself, proving he is in fact insane. Then he grabs Olivia and passionately kisses her.
Dan
Dan is an intelligent young man with a slightly Welsh accent. His good looks only mask his wile. He is a cool and calculating liar and greatly skilled at improvising. He is very observant and has an uncanny ability to read people.Dan is first mentioned in the play when Dora is question by Mrs Bramson about her pregnancy. He is the father of Dora's unborn child as a result of a one night stand and is brought to see Mrs Bramson in order for her to persuade him to marry Dora. Dan remains very indifferent to Dora right to the end of the play.
He comes off as easy-going. He is friendly and cheerful with everyone around him and constantly grinning (artificially nonetheless). He is overly polite, unassuming, and apologetic, which is of course all an act.
He almost immediately endears himself to the unbearable and cynical Mrs Bramson, a testimony of his brilliant acting ability. He recognizes Mrs Bramson's relentless self-pity and plays up to her by passionately acknowledging and sympathizing with her. Going so far as to tell her she reminds him of his mother who was also sick (despite the fact that he never knew his mother). He fully realizes Mrs Bramson's belief that she is an invalid and that other people should do things for her, and he plays on this fact to get hired by her as her caretaker. He is successful at this to the point where Mrs Bramson offers him to call her "mother". As he charms Mrs Bramson more and more, he taunts Olivia (who is outspoken about her disliking him from the beginning) with sarcastic remarks.
The act he puts on is good enough to fool anyone except for Olivia who almost immediately senses the artificiality of his exaggerated amiability. Dan in turn recognizes Olivia's discontent and boredom at her life. At one point Olivia comments on the blankness of Dan's look. Since he knows Olivia does not buy his act, and upon her probing, Dan privately reveals to Olivia that he enjoys his act, much to Olivia's fascination. Dan claims he has been acting for so long that he doesn’t remember what he was "really" like. Olivia goes on to say her diagnosis of Dan would be that he has "no feelings at all".
Olivia openly tells Danny that she suspects him of being the killer. Danny confesses nothing but continues to taunt Olivia by provoking her suspicion with sarcastic remarks.
Dan has a fondness for alcohol and is slightly more open when drunk. At one point in the play a drunken Dan confides in Olivia about his true past and jokingly compliments her that she's the only woman he has ever told it to. He goes on to describe his laborious and undignified life as a pageboy, becoming more and more furious as he does. He finally breaks down in tears stating that nothing in the world troubles him except "a pair of eyes staring at [him]"
When Belsize arrives at the murder scene Olivia means to cover up for him (despite the fact that he openly intended to kill her). Dan however does not allow her to get mixed up and takes full responsibility for the murders; he's only noble act. In the end it is revealed the "eyes" that torment him are his own empty eyes.
Dan is a chain smoker and has a habit of putting the stub behind his ear. He can read but does so rather laboriously.
Dan hums and sings the following verses throughout the play, to the tune Mighty Lak' a Rose
Mighty Lak' a Rose
Mighty Lak' a Rose is a 1901 song with lyrics by Frank Lebby Stanton and music by Ethelbert Nevin.The lyrics are written in an approximation of an African American accent; such "dialect songs" were common in the era. The title thus means "Mighty like a rose"; this assessment is addressed by a...
.
"I'm a pretty little feller ... everybody knows ... Don't know what to call me--but I'm mighty lak a rose...."
"Their home addresses ... and their caresses ... linger in my memory of ... those beautiful dames"
Adaptations
A 1937 film adaptation using the same titleNight Must Fall (1937 film)
Night Must Fall is a 1937 film adaptation of the Emlyn Williams play of the same name. It was directed by Richard Thorpe and adapted by John Van Druten. It stars Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell, and Dame May Whitty...
was written by John Van Druten. It starred Robert Montgomery
Robert Montgomery (actor)
Robert Montgomery was an American actor and director.- Early life :Montgomery was born Henry Montgomery, Jr. in Beacon, New York, then known as "Fishkill Landing", the son of Mary Weed and Henry Montgomery, Sr. His early childhood was one of privilege, since his father was president of the New...
, Rosalind Russell
Rosalind Russell
Rosalind Russell was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame...
, and Dame May Whitty
May Whitty
Dame May Whitty, DBE , born Mary Louise Whitty, was an English stage actress who appeared in numerous films in later life, achieving recognition in several character roles.-Background:...
and was directed by Richard Thorpe
Richard Thorpe
Richard Thorpe was an American film director.Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, he began his entertainment career performing in vaudeville and onstage. In 1921 he began in motion pictures as an actor and directed his first silent film in 1923. He went on to direct more than one hundred...
. Dame May Whitty revisited the same role from when the play was performed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The play was adapted into a radio play in April 1946 on Molle Mystery Theater and in March 1948 on the long-running radio drama series Suspense
Suspense (radio program)
-Production background:One of the premier drama programs of the Golden Age of Radio, was subtitled "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" and focused on suspense thriller-type scripts, usually featuring leading Hollywood actors of the era...
, with Robert Montgomery and Dame May Whitty reprising their original roles.
A 1964 film remake
Night Must Fall (1964 film)
Night Must Fall is a remake of the 1937 film of the same name, which was in turn based on the 1935 play by Emlyn Williams. It was directed by Karel Reisz from a script by Clive Exton and starred Albert Finney, Mona Washbourne, and Susan Hampshire, but was not as successful as the original film...
was directed by Karel Reisz
Karel Reisz
Karel Reisz was a Czech-born British filmmaker who was active in post–war Britain, and one of the pioneers of the new realist strain in 1950s and 1960s British cinema.-Early life:...
from a script by Clive Exton
Clive Exton
Clive Exton was a British television and film screenwriter, sometime playwright, and former actor. He is best known for his scripts of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, P. G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster, and Rosemary & Thyme.-Early career:He was born Clive Jack Montague Brooks in Islington, London,...
, and starred Albert Finney
Albert Finney
Albert Finney is an English actor. He achieved prominence in films in the early 1960s, and has maintained a successful career in theatre, film and television....
, Susan Hampshire
Susan Hampshire
Susan Hampshire, Lady Kulukundis, OBE is an English actress, best-known for her many television and film roles.-Early life:Susan Hampshire was born in Kensington, London, the youngest of four children. She had two sisters and one brother...
, and Sheila Hancock
Sheila Hancock
Sheila Cameron Hancock, CBE is an English actress and author.-Early life:Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is seven years older...
, but was not as successful as the original film.
A Broadway revival in the 1990s starring Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
, essaying an Irish accent (as did Montgomery), rather than a Welsh one, performed respectably at the box office.