Nocturne (1946 film)
Encyclopedia
Nocturne is a black-and-white
film noir
starring George Raft
and Lynn Bari
. The film was produced by longtime Alfred Hitchcock
associate Joan Harrison, scripted by Jonathan Latimer
, and directed by Edwin L. Marin
.
but a cop, Joe Warner (Raft), suspects murder. Warner begins looking for "Dolores," a name in a song by the dead man. While investigating, Warner finds out the dead man has had a list of models as girlfriends and that ten of them have a motive for the suspected murder.
His ruthless questioning tactics lead to several suspects reporting him for abuse. Pursuing the case with dogged determination, the obsessed Warner is eventually suspended from the police force while on the case. As he digs deeper into the case, the clues draw him closer to Frances Ransom (Bari), who may be involved in the killing.
magazine discussed the acting in the drama and wrote "Nocturne is a detective thriller with action and suspense plentiful and hard-bitten mood of story sustained by Edwin L. Marin's direction. There's some confusion towards windup in pulling all threads of tale together but this was apparently due to editing problem in keeping footage to tight 86 minutes running time. George Raft is seen as hardboiled detective lieutenant whose stubbornness leads to uncovering a murder previously tagged a suicide. He gives his usual, slow-paced, tough touch to assignment to make it thoroughly effective. Co-star Lynn Bari, a prime suspect through much of the footage, turns in a capable job. Virginia Huston is interesting as Bari's songstress sister and sings three tunes."
Film critic Dennis Schwartz called the film, "A low rent version of the film noir Laura
," and added, "It was a snappy film that makes the most of its murder investigation with insightful looks at the lives of those on the fringe associated with Hollywood. The viewer is taken on a tour of 1940s styled nightclubs, different income styles of living quarters, and into the RKO studio lot, as the tough guy Raft lives on the job vicariously through others. It's a film with many ironies. It was scripted by Jonathan Latimer and directed by Edwin Marin, and it was produced by longtime Alfred Hitchcock associate Joan Harrison."
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
starring George Raft
George Raft
George Raft was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s...
and Lynn Bari
Lynn Bari
Lynn Bari , born Margaret Schuyler Fisher, was a movie actress who specialized in playing sultry, statuesque man-killers in over one hundred 20th Century Fox films from the early 1930s through the 1940s.-Career:Bari was born in Roanoke, Virginia...
. The film was produced by longtime Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
associate Joan Harrison, scripted by Jonathan Latimer
Jonathan Latimer
Jonathan Wyatt Latimer was an American crime writer-Life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, he attended the Mesa Ranch School in Arizona from 1922-1925 and later studied at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1929...
, and directed by Edwin L. Marin
Edwin L. Marin
Edwin L. Marin was an American film director who directed 58 films between 1932 and 1951, working with Anna May Wong, John Wayne, Peter Lorre, George Raft, Bela Lugosi, Judy Garland, Eddie Cantor, and Hoagy Carmichael, among many others.Marin was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and died in Los...
.
Plot
A Hollywood film composer is found dead. The police think it is suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
but a cop, Joe Warner (Raft), suspects murder. Warner begins looking for "Dolores," a name in a song by the dead man. While investigating, Warner finds out the dead man has had a list of models as girlfriends and that ten of them have a motive for the suspected murder.
His ruthless questioning tactics lead to several suspects reporting him for abuse. Pursuing the case with dogged determination, the obsessed Warner is eventually suspended from the police force while on the case. As he digs deeper into the case, the clues draw him closer to Frances Ransom (Bari), who may be involved in the killing.
Cast
- George RaftGeorge RaftGeorge Raft was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s...
as Joe Warner - Lynn BariLynn BariLynn Bari , born Margaret Schuyler Fisher, was a movie actress who specialized in playing sultry, statuesque man-killers in over one hundred 20th Century Fox films from the early 1930s through the 1940s.-Career:Bari was born in Roanoke, Virginia...
as Frances Ransom - Virginia HustonVirginia HustonVirginia Huston was a film actress.Born Virginia Houston in Wisner, Nebraska, Huston appeared in many 1940s and 1950s films noir and adventure films. Signing with RKO in 1945, her first film was opposite George Raft in Nocturne. Her singing voice in the nightclub was redubbed by a singer...
as Carol Page - Joseph PevneyJoseph PevneyJoseph Pevney was an American film and television director.-Biography:Pevney was born on September 15, 1911 in New York City, New York.He made his debut in vaudeville as a boy soprano in 1924...
as Ned "Fingers" Ford - Myrna Dell as Susan Flanders
- Edward Ashley as Keith Vincent
- Walter Sande as Police Lt. Halberson
- Mabel PaigeMabel PaigeMabel Paige was an American film actress. She began acting at age 4 and went on to appear in over 50 films between 1914 and 1953...
as Mrs. Warne - Bern Hoffman as Erik Torp
- Queenie SmithQueenie SmithQueenie Smith was an American stage, television, and film actress.-Biography:Smith got an early start, being trained in ballet and dance and spent her teen years performing as a dancer with the Metropolitan Opera Company in operas such as Aida, La Traviata, and Faust...
as Queenie, Nora's Roommate - Mack Gray as Gratz
Critical reception
When the film was released, the staff at VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine discussed the acting in the drama and wrote "Nocturne is a detective thriller with action and suspense plentiful and hard-bitten mood of story sustained by Edwin L. Marin's direction. There's some confusion towards windup in pulling all threads of tale together but this was apparently due to editing problem in keeping footage to tight 86 minutes running time. George Raft is seen as hardboiled detective lieutenant whose stubbornness leads to uncovering a murder previously tagged a suicide. He gives his usual, slow-paced, tough touch to assignment to make it thoroughly effective. Co-star Lynn Bari, a prime suspect through much of the footage, turns in a capable job. Virginia Huston is interesting as Bari's songstress sister and sings three tunes."
Film critic Dennis Schwartz called the film, "A low rent version of the film noir Laura
Laura (1944 film)
Laura is a 1944 American film noir directed by Otto Preminger. It stars Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews and Clifton Webb. The screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Elizabeth Reinhardt is based on the 1943 novel of the same title by Vera Caspary....
," and added, "It was a snappy film that makes the most of its murder investigation with insightful looks at the lives of those on the fringe associated with Hollywood. The viewer is taken on a tour of 1940s styled nightclubs, different income styles of living quarters, and into the RKO studio lot, as the tough guy Raft lives on the job vicariously through others. It's a film with many ironies. It was scripted by Jonathan Latimer and directed by Edwin Marin, and it was produced by longtime Alfred Hitchcock associate Joan Harrison."