My Favorite Movies: This Could be the Night

I used to go to Media Play (do you remember Media Play?) years ago and just browse through their VHSs (do you remember VHSs?). I loved finding obscure old movies, buying them, and finding out if I'd purchased a dud or a gem. One of my best finds was a 1950s black and white film called This Could Be The Night.

Jean Simmons plays Anne, a young woman from Massachusetts whose first job out of college is teaching elementary school in New York City. She realizes that she won't be able to make ends meet with just the one salary, and she finds an evening job as the secretary for Rocco (Paul Douglas), a nightclub owner. She gets off on the wrong foot with everyone working at the club from her first night working there, except for Rocco, who is happy to have someone with class and tact answering the phone for him. She especially clashes with Rocco's partner, Tony (Anthony Franciosa), who thinks she is just a goody-goody snob who knows nothing of the real world. Soon she becomes so involved in the lives of the nightclub staff that they don't know what they would do without her, except Tony, who does all he can to not fall for the "nice" girl.

Simmons' "good girl," character is similar to her role as Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls. Paul Douglas plays the older father-type figure who wants to keep Anne protected from the roughness of the nightclub scene. However, judging the characters by our culture's modern standards, there really isn't any one you would think could corrupt Anne.

There's Patsy, the nightclub's stripper (who really never does), who just wants to cook. There's Crystal (played by the wonderful Joan Blondell), Patsy's mother who is the typical stage mother, who doesn't want to accept the fact that her daughter is an adult and doesn't need her anymore. There's Hussein, the busboy, who is teased about his name, and whose father says he can change it if he passes algebra.  There's Ivy  Corlane, the world-wise torch singer, who has a couple of great songs, including  "I'm Gonna Live 'Til I Die."

This Could be the Night is an interesting look at how movies that were made when the Hays Code was enforced portrayed the "seedy" side of New York in the late 1950s. If this movie were ever remade, it would be a very different film. It alludes to Anne being a virgin, but can never say the word. The way they do say it is much more creative than saying the actually word. Ivy tells Tony, "It's a good thing you didn't take that bet, Tony baby. That's right - no hits, no runs, no errors."

This was just a little film directed by Robert Wise who later went on to direct West Side Story and The Sound Music.

Quotes:

Ivy: Friends and neighbors, the time is right. This could be the night.

Anne: My name is Anne Leeds, you can call me Anne, Miss Leeds or hey you, anything but Baby.

Patsy: Oh boy, four burners, two ovens and a spit. The way other people want diamonds, that's how I want that stove.