Themes: Home From the War, Amnesia, Haunted By the Past
Main Cast: Charles Arnt, Richard Benedict, Whit Bissell, Richard Conte, Clancy Cooper
Release Year: 1946
Country: US
Run Time: 108 minutes
Plot
George Taylor (John Hodiak) is a war veteran suffering from amnesia with only two clues to his past: the bitter letter from a woman who hates him and another mysterious letter signed "Larry Cravat." Taylor goes to Los Angeles to meet Cravat. It turns out that Cravat is wanted for murder and the robbery of $2 million. George becomes involved with a singer, Christy (Nancy Guild) and is chased by mobsters while on a search for the stolen money. There ensue a series of chases, an interesting plot twist and a surprise ending as John learns the true identity of Cravat.Somewhere in the Night is the quintessential "amnesia victim" as protagonist film, somewhat slow, but nevertheless, engrossing and suspenseful. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
Review
Film noir aficionados -- and just plain fans of good older films -- will relish Somewhere in the Night, a classic of the genre whose very title promises high contrast black-and-white photography, a hero plopped into a world in which lies and truths are difficult to identify and plenty of danger and suspense. It's all there, along with other familiar noir trappings like the femme fatale and questions of identity. So none of the basic ingredients of the plot is especially original -- and sometimes that plot gets a trifle confusing and/or a bit incredible -- but it's told with such style and assurance that it comes across as fresh and engrossing. Credit Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who not only contributed to the screenplay (which bears signs of his witty style in much of the dialogue) but also directed, his first time as a director from start to finish on a project. Mankiewicz's work is remarkably assured here. Aside from the opening sequences, there's little here that is visually inventive in terms of his storytelling, but it has a directness and clarity that is admirable. Besides, cinematographer Norbert F. Brodin is on hand to supply gorgeous, evocative, dramatic photography that makes any directorial tricks unnecessary. In the lead role, John Hodiak is surprisingly good, more than making up for the dull Nancy Guild opposite him, and the supporting cast is uniformly strong. All in all, a gripping little thriller. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
The film tells the tale of a man called George Taylor (John Hodiak), who returns home to the US from fighting in World War II. He is suffering from amnesia, and tries to track down his old identity, following a trail left behind by the mysterious Mr Larry Cravat. He ends up stumbling into a murder mystery involving Nazi loot. The complicated storyline is typical of film noir.
