Night People

It is always difficult to watch a movie that is now 46 years old and assess it as I am continually comparing movies of the 50's to that of the 90's. With special effects, digital sound and plenty of action in movies these days, I have to be careful not to expect the same type of style from 46 yr old movies.

Night People was nominated for an academy award for screenplay I believe. The movie is certainly enjoyabe and makes you think but as others have already pointed out there is one serious flaw with the story line that detracts from the overall viewing pleasure (to which I shall explain).

The plot centres around a young American GI being kidnapped by the soviets with a view of having him exchanged for to ex Nazi's who double crossed the Germans's during the war and are now hiding in Berlin (the West side). The Russians wish to exchange the American GI (who's father just happens to be a prominent businessman who flies to Berlin to exert his influence). One questions begs answering. Why didn't the Russians just kidnap the two ex Nazi's themselves without any American involvement????

And to add insult to injury the actual exchange insults the intelligence of the viewer as the Russians appear total clutses (the hand over the hostage in American territory before they receive their Nazi's (in fact they don't anyway). Sheer stupidity.

That aside, what the movie did highlight to me was that Gregory Peck was / is an outstanding actor. He is so far above the other cast members it isn't funny. His portrayal of Col Steve Van Dyke is excellent, being harsh, caring and funny at the appropriate moments. The movie also allowed me to acknowldege Broderick Crawford's acting ability.

I gave the movie a 7/10, it is certainly enjoyable enough, but I can't help wonder how the script got an Oscar nomination?

I really enjoy this movie and have seen it frequently through the years. It has been running on the Fox Movie Channel lately. I think the other comments are probably true, but I enjoy watching the film nonetheless. I love the very end when Gregory Peck is listening to the way the situation he commanded is presented by the news over the radio, while he smokes and surveys the cleaned-up city of Berlin. Peck presents a man who might be in a dirty job but can look himself in the mirror. I agree it is an adult movie in that the characters acted like adults. I felt during the drinking scene Hoffie conveyed that she had some remorse and was tired. (Just before, I enjoyed scene showing the bad feelings between Hoffie and the secretary. "Would you be kind enough to tell Major VanDyke that I am here, please?) Later, it was pretty clear how Hoffie figured out Steve was onto her. The other character I liked was the British fellow. I enjoyed his dialog. I told my British husband about the scene. I also enjoyed listening to the American idiom of the time. I liked all of the characters very much and look forward to seeing it again. Another user mentioned the Oscar for best screenplay for 1954 went to Broken Lance. I liked that movie, too!

A film that starts out innocently enough and is shot in Technicolor doesn't hold out much hope of being much of a tough Berlin Cold War drama like Carol Reed and James Mason might have made. Nonetheless, Night People gets pretty engrossing as the story unfolds. What it lacks in shadowy black and white photography and bleak ambiance, it makes up for in a couple of cool plot twists and attention to keeping the story moving. Gregory Peck bites off his lines as if he really means them as the colonel who's trying to get the young corporal who was kidnapped from the US sector after he kisses his German girlfriend good night, to the Russian sector and held for the ransom of an elderly couple, the wife of whom is part of a cool scene in a big beerhall restaurant where Peck is chewing the scenery and German sausages with Broderick Crawford. Crawford's character as a rich Toledo industrialist and well connected father of the kidnapped corporal gets pretty interesting as well as he's bent on throwing as much of his considerable weight around as he can in order to expedite his son's return. But this is international intrigue which requires a lot of preparation while the go-between German ex-mistress of Peck who likes absinthe, gets slowly revealed. Actually, the story is mostly top-notch, though with sergeant Buddy Ebsen's numerous humorous observations and overall casualness, the film is a lot lighter though not necessarily less smarter than some the of black and white classics.

Back in 1954, this spy film appeared on the Silver Screen. When it did, it was not promoted as a spy thriller to audiences. However, this is was one of those particular movies called " Night People " which does produces a bigger bang than one expects. The story as written by Jed Harris and directed by Nunnally Johnson begins slowly and tells of a single United States soldier, Cpl. John Leatherby (Ted Avery) stationed in West Germany shortly after W.W. II. After his kidnapping, the Americans are notified. A noise which is heard in the state department and there after reaches the the parents of the young soldier, who happens to have some very powerful friends, one which takes his millionaire status and starts banging on Washington doors to get his son back. Back in Germany, the problem lands on the stoop of one, Col. Steve Van Dyke (Gregory Peck) who is ordered to resolve the issue. He is an experienced soldier, but is hindered by the boy's Father (Broderick Crawford) who tries to throw his weight around and ably assisted by Sgt. Eddie McColloch (Buddy Ebsen). Dealing with the other major powers controlling the Eastern section of the Berlin Wall, proves a difficult task, what with the rise of the Russians, Ex-Nazis, double agents and political victims all vining for his attention. What we expect as an audience members is a sleeper, instead this film lays the foundation of later Tom Clancy type spy thrillers and Gregory Peck does a notable job in his role. Without hesitation I would recommend this movie due to the participation of Broderick Crawford, Buddy Ebsen, Anita Björk and Marianne Koch, and all the rest of the cast who made this remarkable film a classic. ****

Maybe not a barn-burner, but definitely worth seeing because of Peck. The movie actually captures quite well the tradecraft and moral dilemmas of counterespionage, and the scenes between Peck and Crawford are first-rate. Berlin locations add to the authenticity of this forgotten little movie.