London by Night (film)

London by Night
London by Night
	File:London by Night (film).jpg
Directed by	Wilhelm Thiele
Written by	George Oppenheimer
Based on	The Umbrella (play); by William Matthew Scott
Produced by	Sam Zimbalist
Starring	George Murphy; Rita Johnson; Virginia Field ;
Cinematography	Leonard Smith
Edited by	George Boemler
Music by	William Axt
Production; company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Loew's Inc.
Release date	July 30, 1937;
Running time	69 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$200,000
Box office	$321,000

George Murphy in the film

London by Night is a 1937 American murder mystery film directed by Wilhelm Thiele and starring George Murphy, Rita Johnson and Virginia Field. It marked the screen debut of Johnson who while shooting the film also unsuccessfully tested to replace Jean Harlow in Saratoga. Gossip columnist Louella Parsons drew attention to her as a rising star.^[2] It was based on an unproduced play The Umbrella by British writer William Matthew Scott.

Plot

A London-based newspaperman is about to head for Paris for his first vacation in three years when he becomes embroiled by the murder of a shopkeeper in the square where he lives, followed shortly afterwards by the shooting of a police constable. Most intriguing in the presence of a mysterious umbrella-wielding figure seen just before the killing took place. Working alongside Inspector Jefferson of Scotland Yard he encounters a spirited socialite when he accosts her family's butler who he wrongly suspects is the umbrella man. Public alarm rises further when the barmaid of the nearby pub is also killed.

Reception

According to MGM records the movie earned $187,000 in the US and Canada and $134,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $3,000.^[1]

Cast

George Murphy as Michael Denis
Rita Johnson as Patricia Herrick
Virginia Field as Bessie
Leo G. Carroll as Correy
George Zucco as Inspector Jefferson
Montagu Love as Sir Arthur Herrick
Eddie Quillan as Bill
Leonard Mudie as Squires
J.M. Kerrigan as Tims
Neil Fitzgerald as Inspector Sleet
Harry Stubbs as Postman
Ivan F. Simpson as Burroughs
Frank Baker as Walker
Leyland Hodgson as Maddow
Robert Adair as Bobby
Harry Allen as Glazer
Colin Kenny as Scotland Yard Detective
William Bailey as Scotland Yard Detective

References

^ ^a ^b ^c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
^ Wagner p.99

Bibliography

Wagner, Laura. Hollywood's Hard-Luck Ladies: 23 Actresses Who Suffered Early Deaths, Accidents, Missteps, Illnesses and Tragedies. McFarland, 2020.

External links

London by Night at IMDb
London by Night at the TCM Movie Database
London by Night at AllMovie
London by Night at the American Film Institute Catalog

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[Mannix-1] The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.

[2] Wagner p.99

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