Night Editor

Night Editor

29/3/1946 1h 8m 5.4/10

Overview

A daily news editor recalls a married detective and the deadly woman behind his downfall.

Director

Henry Levin

Top Billed Cast

Jeff Donnell

Jeff Donnell

Martha Cochrane

Janis Carter

Janis Carter

Jill Merrill

Paul E. Burns

Paul E. Burns

Ole Strom

William Gargan

William Gargan

Tony Cochrane

Charles D. Brown

Charles D. Brown

Crane Stewart

Coulter Irwin

Coulter Irwin

Johnny

Reviews

John Chard

8/5/2016

7/10

You are worse than blood poisoning! Night Editor is directed by Henry Levin and adapted to screenplay by Hal Smith from the radio program of the same name - by Hal Burdick - and the short story, Inside Story, written by Scott Littleton. It stars William Gargan, Janis Carter, Jeff Donnell, Coulter Irwin and Charles D. Brown. Cinematography is by Burnett Guffey and Philip Tannura, and music is credited to Mischa Bakaleinikoff, though it's believed that Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco did the work. "You are just no good for me. We both add up to zero" A raging "B" pic out of Columbia? Absolutely! This is something of a film noir lovers delight. There is no getting away from the fact it has one of those endings that has proved to be divisive, so how it stacks up for first time viewers now may make or break your opinion of it... Story finds copper Tony Cochrane (Gargan) having a love affair with viper like Jill Merrill (Carter), this in spite of the fact he has a gorgeous loving wife and a son who worships him. During one of the illicit couple's love trysts they witness a violent murder, and fearing scandal Cochrane fails to uphold the law. From such decisions does life often spiral out of control... Okies. So we got hot and sweaty scenes, flashbacks, wet streets lit by lamps, alleyways, barely lighted rooms - particularly the station offices - symbolic and metaphorical sequences (oh my those crashing waves), but it's the barbed dialogue, the blend of sex and violence, and a femme fatale of considerable greatness, that ultimately makes this soar. Personally I hate the ending, but as stated before, I do know noir lovers who find it cheeky and enjoyable. Yet even with my irritation at the finale - and of Carter's hair style (which pushes Phyllis Dietrichson for most unflattering look), there's just so much good here for noir lovers not to enjoy greatly. 7.5/10

Similar Movies

Sunset Boulevard

8.3

Sunset Boulevard

1950

Bridget Jones's Diary

6.7

Bridget Jones's Diary

2001

Strangers on a Train

7.7

Strangers on a Train

1951

The Maltese Falcon

7.7

The Maltese Falcon

1941

Double Indemnity

8.1

Double Indemnity

1944

Lady in the Lake

6.0

Lady in the Lake

1946

Elevator to the Gallows

7.6

Elevator to the Gallows

1958

Out of the Past

7.6

Out of the Past

1947

Sweet Smell of Success

7.6

Sweet Smell of Success

1957

Murder, My Sweet

7.3

Murder, My Sweet

1944

Crime of Passion

6.1

Crime of Passion

1956

Secret Beyond the Door

6.5

Secret Beyond the Door

1947

The Brasher Doubloon

5.9

The Brasher Doubloon

1947

Women Are Trouble

6.0

Women Are Trouble

1936