This Could Be the Night

I happen to catch "This Could Be The Night" on TCM and loved it. I've never seen it before and wasn't disappointed in the least. It's charmingly quirky with its colorful cast of characters who inhabit the nightclub. Jean Simmons and Anthony Franciosa definitely had incredible chemistry together. The cast of characters around them held their own and were equally appealing. Unfortunately, I was called away during the last ten minutes of the movie and didn't see how it ended. Talk about bad timing! If they don't show it on TCM again, I'll have to buy it. Yes, I liked it that much. I look forward to seeing this one again very soon.

"This Could be the Night" is a charming fish-out-of-water story about a straight-laced girl who becomes a part-time secretary at a seedy nightclub in New York. Jean Simmons plays Anne, the self-possessed college grad who's trying to expand her horizons by taking a job where she's surrounded by "characters." The club staff quickly find out that she's a "nice girl" -- that is, a virgin -- and tacitly conspire to keep her that way. No-one takes this task more seriously than Tony, one of the owners, and a well-known lothario. Naturally he's falling for her and is determined to keep her out of every man's clutches, especially his own.

The chemistry between Simmons and Fransciosa sizzles and all the characters' tiptoeing around the word "virgin" definitely gives the movie more sexual overtones than you would expect. The club staff are a likeable bunch -- from busboy Hassan, whose father won't let him change his name until he passes algebra, to strip-dancer Patsy, who really wants to be a cook. The dialogue is snappy and intelligent and the characters stay true to the end.

THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT is an earlier effort for director Robert Wise. He does a good job in this "nightclub musical." Tony Franciosa and Jean Simmons have a great chemistry together in this, and Paul Douglas is very good as the former bootlegger with a heart of gold. There are many fine character actors in this, namely Joan Blondell, Frank Ferguson and, in one scene, Zasu Pitts. Julie Wilson smoulders in her musical numbers, and Neile Adams pops off the screen in hers. It's interesting to see an integrated school classroom here, as there weren't many seen on the screen or on television in 1957. Rafael Campos plays a bus boy who is taunted because of his middle-eastern lineage. He wants desperately to pass algebra so his Father will allow him to change his name. He does a good job here, although today, he would have to show more pride in his name, rather than try to Angelicize it. The colorful characters here are well- drawn, and we care about them. That's what makes spending a little time at the Tonic night club an enjoyable experience. I had the opportunity to see the late Julie Wilson perform in Chicago in 1999. It was while seeing her that I learned about the existence of this movie. She talked about "this little movie I appeared in" as if she had a tiny role. So I was surprised to see that she not only had a substantial part, but sings in several spots in the film, including over the opening credits. A breezy, fun musical from the end of MGMs glory days.

Jean Simmons is a school teacher who has just moved to New York City from New England. To make ends meet, she takes a second job as a secretary at a nightclub owned by Paul Douglas and Anthony Franciosa (in his film debut). Douglas, who hired her, is quite taken with her, but Franciosa thinks she has no business working in a nightclub and tries to get rid of her. She gradually charms her way into the fabric of the place, so by the time she and Franciosa realize they're in love, he can't get rid of her.

This is a pretty damn delightful movie. All three leads are charming and amusing, and it has a pretty wonderful supporting cast including J. Carrol Naish, Joan Blondell and Broadway star Neile Adams (the future Mrs. Steve McQueen) as a stripper who loves cooking. It's almost a semi-musical with Ray Anthony and His Orchestra playing the house band and his regular singer Julie Wilson playing a major role and singing several songs (including the title one).

Not quite a comedy, a drama or a musical but something of all three, "This Could Be the Night" is one of the Robert Wise movies that seems to have slipped off the radar which is a pity as it's actually very entertaining. It's certainly got a great cast. Jean Simmons is the schoolteacher who gets a part-time job as secretary to nightclub ower Paul Douglas but doesn't hit it off with his partner, Anthony Franciosa...at least initially. Five minutes in and you can see exactly where this movie is headed but a first-rate supporting cast, (Joan Blondell, the great Julie Wilson, Neile Adams, J. Carrol Naish, Rafael Campos), ensure a pleasant ride. Throw in Ray Anthony and his orchestra and some good musical numbers and what's not to like.