The Short Night
Encyclopedia
The Short Night was a film planned by Alfred Hitchcock
. The project was originally announced in the late 1960s at the time of Topaz
and Hitchcock
scouted locations in Finland. A romantic suspense thriller with espionage elements, the script was based on both a same-titled novel by Ronald Kirkbride
, and the non-fiction book documenting the case of real-life double agent George Blake
titled The Springing of George Blake by Sean Bourke
, the motion picture rights to both of which Hitchcock
acquired.
Hitchcock commissioned screenplays by James Costigan
and frequent collaborator Ernest Lehman
, both of whom wrote several drafts. The script draft by David Freeman
, reproduced in Freeman's book The Last Days of Alfred Hitchcock, takes place after the break out from London's Wormwood Scrubs Prison of Gavin Brand (the screenplay's version of Blake). An American named Joe Bailey, brother to one of Brand's victims, is called on by the CIA to kill Brand through finding his family. The objective, as put by CIA chief Zelfand, is to "find the wife and kids, find the husband."
Bailey reluctantly accepts the assignment to kill Brand and finally tracks down Brand's family to a private island near Savonlinna
in Finland
, where they are watched over by Hilda and Olga, two Russian minders. Bailey and the wife, Carla, develop a romance as he waits patiently for Brand to show up. After they consummate their love, Brand shows up, and attempts to kill both Bailey and Carla, leading to her becoming trapped in a gas-styled sauna. Bailey rescues Carla and, with the help of a Finnish police officer, they try to stop Brand making it to the Finnish-Russian aboard a train with his kidnapped children.
Hitchcock, comparing his intentions for the project to Notorious, considered Walter Matthau
, a onetime guest star on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
for the role of Brand; he also reportedly offered the same role to Ed Lauter
, who appeared in Family Plot
. Sean Connery
, Clint Eastwood
, Steve McQueen
and French international film star Catherine Deneuve
, and Norwegian star Liv Ullmann
were also considered for the leading female role. The movie was to be filmed on location in Finland
. Because of the director's ill health, Universal Pictures
cancelled the project in 1979, and the film never got beyond the early pre-production stage with such Hitchcock associates as Norman Lloyd
, Henry Bumstead, Robert Boyle
actively involved.
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...
. The project was originally announced in the late 1960s at the time of Topaz
Topaz (1969 film)
Topaz is a 1969 suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is a Cold War and spy story, adapted from the book of the same name by Leon Uris and closely based on the 1962 Sapphire Affair involving French SDECE spy Philippe Thyraud de Vosjoli who "ha[d] played a considerable part in helping...
and Hitchcock
Hitchcock
Hitchcock may refer to people with the surname Hitchcock:* Alfred Hitchcock , film director* A. S. Hitchcock , American botanist and agrostologist* Billy Hitchcock , American baseball player...
scouted locations in Finland. A romantic suspense thriller with espionage elements, the script was based on both a same-titled novel by Ronald Kirkbride
Ronald Kirkbride
Ronald de Levington Kirkbride was a writer of escapist romances, Westerns, and mystery novels. He was probably best known for his novel A Girl Named Tamiko, first published in 1959; it sold one million copies worldwide and a screenplay based on that novel become a 1962 film of the same name,...
, and the non-fiction book documenting the case of real-life double agent George Blake
George Blake
George Blake is a former British spy known for having been a double agent in the service of the Soviet Union. Discovered in 1961 and sentenced to 42 years in prison, he escaped from Wormwood Scrubs prison in 1966 and fled to the USSR...
titled The Springing of George Blake by Sean Bourke
Sean Bourke
Sean Bourke , from Limerick, helped Michael Randle and Pat Pottle to arrange the 22 October 1966 prison escape of the Soviet spy, George Blake....
, the motion picture rights to both of which Hitchcock
Hitchcock
Hitchcock may refer to people with the surname Hitchcock:* Alfred Hitchcock , film director* A. S. Hitchcock , American botanist and agrostologist* Billy Hitchcock , American baseball player...
acquired.
Hitchcock commissioned screenplays by James Costigan
James Costigan
James Costigan was an American television actor and Emmy Award-winning television screenwriter. His writing credited included the Eleanor and Franklin and Love Among the Ruins television movies....
and frequent collaborator Ernest Lehman
Ernest Lehman
Ernest Lehman was an American screenwriter. He received 6 Academy Award nominations during his screenwriting career...
, both of whom wrote several drafts. The script draft by David Freeman
David Freeman
David Freeman is the name of:*David Freeman , collector, historian, and authority on old-time and bluegrass music*David Freeman, musician, member of The Flys and The Lover Speaks, writer of "No More I Love You's"...
, reproduced in Freeman's book The Last Days of Alfred Hitchcock, takes place after the break out from London's Wormwood Scrubs Prison of Gavin Brand (the screenplay's version of Blake). An American named Joe Bailey, brother to one of Brand's victims, is called on by the CIA to kill Brand through finding his family. The objective, as put by CIA chief Zelfand, is to "find the wife and kids, find the husband."
Bailey reluctantly accepts the assignment to kill Brand and finally tracks down Brand's family to a private island near Savonlinna
Savonlinna
Savonlinna is a town and a municipality of inhabitants in the southeast of Finland, in the heart of the Saimaa lake region. The Finnish name of the town means "Castle of Savonia" and the Swedish name means "Newcastle".- History :...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, where they are watched over by Hilda and Olga, two Russian minders. Bailey and the wife, Carla, develop a romance as he waits patiently for Brand to show up. After they consummate their love, Brand shows up, and attempts to kill both Bailey and Carla, leading to her becoming trapped in a gas-styled sauna. Bailey rescues Carla and, with the help of a Finnish police officer, they try to stop Brand making it to the Finnish-Russian aboard a train with his kidnapped children.
Hitchcock, comparing his intentions for the project to Notorious, considered Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau was an American actor best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and his frequent collaborations with Odd Couple star Jack Lemmon, as well as his role as Coach Buttermaker in the 1976 comedy The Bad News Bears...
, a onetime guest star on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
for the role of Brand; he also reportedly offered the same role to Ed Lauter
Ed Lauter
Edward Lauter is an American actor. He has appeared in numerous movies and was a stand up comic before getting into acting.Lauter was born in Long Beach, Long Island, New York...
, who appeared in Family Plot
Family Plot
Family Plot is a 1976 American dark comedy/thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, his fifty-third and final film. It stars Barbara Harris, Bruce Dern, William Devane, and Karen Black....
. Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
, Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
, Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
and French international film star Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
, and Norwegian star Liv Ullmann
Liv Ullmann
Liv Johanne Ullmann is a Norwegian actress and film director, as well as one of the "muses" of the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman...
were also considered for the leading female role. The movie was to be filmed on location in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Because of the director's ill health, Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
cancelled the project in 1979, and the film never got beyond the early pre-production stage with such Hitchcock associates as Norman Lloyd
Norman Lloyd
Norman Lloyd is an American actor, producer, and director with a career in entertainment spanning more than seven decades. Lloyd, who currently resides in Los Angeles, has appeared in over sixty films and television shows....
, Henry Bumstead, Robert Boyle
Robert Boyle
Robert Boyle FRS was a 17th century natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, and inventor, also noted for his writings in theology. He has been variously described as English, Irish, or Anglo-Irish, his father having come to Ireland from England during the time of the English plantations of...
actively involved.