Film genres, title, year, country, length, director, description. A study of the lives and romantic entanglements of various interconnected women. The wondrous year of 1939 gone with the wind, the wizard of oz, mr. An unemployed showgirl poses as hungarian royalty to infiltrate parisian. Midnight, with don ameche and claudette colbert, strikes a seasonal high in comedy at the paramountwithin the law at the criterion theatre by frank s. On the night of the execution, his actions come back to haunt him. American eve peabody claudette colbert, a wily exshowgirl, must. Rent midnight 1939 starring claudette colbert and don ameche on dvd and bluray. Eve peabody claudette colbert is an american showgirl in paris who is out of work, money, and luck when a handsome cabbie don ameche offers to drive her around the city to search for employment as. Redd was dubbed the cinderella girl of 1939, because she was an unknown from missouri and was selected to star in the film, according to a june 3, 1939, article in the pittsburgh press. With a remarkably adroit and surprisingly sensitive for a screwball comedy screenplay by whizzes charles brackett and. Midnight is a 1939 american screwball comedy film directed by mitchell leisen and starring claudette colbert, don. The film is known for being an enchantingly snappy cinderellainspired screwball. It was based on a theatre guild play with the same name by paul and claire sifton.
Midnight 1939 mitchell leisen synopsis, characteristics. Midnight not rated 1h 34min comedy, romance 24 march 1939 usa a chorus girl stranded in paris is set up by a millionaire to break up his wifes affair with another man, while being romantically pursued by a cab driver. Overview of midnight, 1939, directed by mitchell leisen, with claudette colbert, don ameche, john barrymore, at turner classic movies. Between 1937 and 1940, his duesenberg coupe simone midnight ghost was designed and manufactured. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as i watch them. Pada 20, film tersebut terpilih untuk penyajian dalam pendaftaran film nasional amerika serikat oleh perpustakaan kongres karena signifikan secara budaya. The original title of this cinderellainspired screwball comedy was careless rapture, a heading that signified the devilmaycare euphoria long distinctive of its genre however, when paramount released the picture in 1939, its filmmakers had changed its name to midnight the historic hour that cinderellas party ended and skillfully marked the conclusion of screwballs carefree heyd.
As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as i search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. With claudette colbert, don ameche, john barrymore, francis lederer. The midnight movie was an attempt by the bbc to provide a late night alternative, when the two other channels bbc one and itv would normally end their saturday programming at around 12 midnight. As a cinematic phenomenon, the midnight screening of offbeat movies began in the early 1970s in a few urban centers, particularly in new york city. It stars claudette colbert as a showgirl who arrives in paris penniless but is assisted by a taxi driver played by don ameche. Midnight shadow stands out because of its all black cast but sadly outside of this theres really nothing too special here. It was to be pained in a twotone grey painted scheme, as he wanted it to be a ghost in the night. With a remarkably adroit and surprisingly sensitive for a screwball comedy screenplay by whizzes charles brackett and billy wilder, 1939 s midnight features one of legendary colberts most charming performances, along with further proof that mitchell leisen is criminally undervalued when the usual great directors of classic hollywood are. With frances redd, buck woods, richard bates, ollie ann robinson. In a quiet, allblack oklahoma community live the wilsons, whose pretty daughter margaret is courted by awkward buster and suave stage mentalist prince alihabad. Midnight 1934 not rated 1h 16min crime, drama, filmnoir 7 march 1934 usa the foreman of a jury asks questions that send a woman to the electric chair for a murder committed in the heat of passion.
Midnight 1939 when outofwork showgirl eve claudette colbert arrives in paris with no work in sight, she asks taxi driver tibor don ameche to drive her from club to club. This was partly due to the restrictions imposed on the broadcasting hours of both bbc and itv by the british government, normally no more than 8 hours in a given day. Released in 1939, midnight is one of those thirties paramount comedy gems which is cherished by buffs but often overlooked in evaluations of the best films of the decade. It was finally delivered and he went for a twilight drive. An unemployed showgirl poses as hungarian royalty to infiltrate parisian society. Midnight is a 1939 american screwball comedy film directed by mitchell leisen and starring claudette colbert, don ameche, john barrymore, francis lederer. High resolution movie poster image for midnight 1939. The term midnight movie is rooted in the practice that emerged in the 1950s of local television stations around the united states airing lowbudget genre films as latenight programming, often with a host delivering ironic asides.
Don ameche is the cab driver who falls for her, but is outraged at her behavior. Universal, under their cinema classics label, has released a plainwrap edition of director mitchell leisens romantic comedy classic, midnight, starring claudette colbert, don ameche, john barrymore, francis lederer and mary astor. Unwilling to accept his feelings, eve escapes to a. She goes with it, and is roped into trying to break up a love affair by her secret benefactor john barrymore. Midnight 1939 claudette colbert, don ameche, mary astor. The midnight movie was an attempt by the bbc to provide a late night alternative, when the two other channels bbc one and itv would normally end their saturday programming at around 12midnight. By command of the owner, it was to be painted in a twotone grey paint scheme so it would look like a ghost in the night. Norma shearer, joan crawford, rosalind russell, mary boland. Six minutes to midnight is in production starring eddie izzard, judi dench, carla juri, jim broadbent. Having ditched cabbie tibor don ameche, eve claudette colbert is rescued by a doorman into a paris high society party and seated next to flammarion john barrymore in mitchel leisens midnight, 1939. Midnight, written by that matchless hollywood pair billy wilder and charles backett, is that rare hollywood bird. But the more time she spends with tibor, the more eve realizes that he is falling for her. Midnight is a film directed by mitchell leisen with claudette colbert, don ameche, john barrymore, mary astor, year.
However, when paramount released the picture in 1939, its filmmakers had changed its name to midnight the historic hour that cinderellas party ended and skillfully marked the conclusion of screwballs carefree. Screenwriters billy wilder and charles brackett were in peak form when they concocted this smooth confection about eve. The title midnight alludes to cinderella, and the movie does have a pleasant magical quality about it, although it doesnt. The image measures 2706 4069 pixels and is 15 kilobytes large. A few weeks later i stumbled across the film at my favorite dvd shop, and knew that i had to purchase a copy, but being friends with the store owner, i received it for free. The best movies of 1939 picked by critics and filmmakers and sorted by rank. Midnight 1939 03241939 us comedy, romance 1h 34m user score. A chorus girl stranded in paris is set up by a millionaire to break up his wifes affair with another man, while being romantically pursued by a cab driver. Midnight 1939 a very funny film not to be missed by anyone whos yet to see it. It it took three years to complete both the tailormade interior and futuristic body.
Were your movie poster source for new releases and vintage movie posters. Paramounts screwball comedy midnight is the first collaboration between director mitchell leisen and screenwriting duo charles brackett and billy wilder. Finished in 1939, this legendary masterpiece was christened as duesenberg coupe simone midnight ghost. Midnight is yet another magical bauble from 1939, the year which has become synonymous with a slew of movie masterpieces. Written by charles brackett and billy wilder based on a story by edwin justus mayer and franz schulz, the film is about an unemployed american showgirl stranded. Midnight adalah sebuah film komedi screwball amerika 1939 yang disutradarai oleh mitchell leisen dan dibintangi oleh claudette colbert, don ameche, john barrymore, francis lederer, mary astor, dan elaine barrie. Midnight, too often overlooked in the shambles of what has been called the greatest year for movies, 1939, because audiences, accustomed to screwball.
Midnight is een screwball comedyfilm uit 1939 onder regie van mitchell leisen. Midnight is a 1934 american drama film, the first directed by chester erskine, and starring sidney fox, o. A confidence man pretending to be a mentalist swindles a family. Cynical and sharp with billy wilder involved in the script, the heroine is a really tough nut. Gallery of 16 movie poster and cover images for midnight 1939. Although hollywoods golden year of 1939 is best remembered for gone with the wind and the wizard of oz, it was also a banner year for sophisticated screen comedy, and mitchell leisens midnight is a deliciously prime example. Screenwriters charles brackett and billy wilder are able to do a whole bunch of plot twistsalways through comedic meansbecause of how theyve got the film structured. Midnight shadow 1939 in a quiet, allblack oklahoma community live the wilsons, whose pretty daughter margaret is courted by awkward buster and suave stage mentalist prince alihabad.
Smith goes to washington, stagecoach, the women also included this fantastic screwball comedy written by billy wilder and charles brackett and directed by mitchell leisen. Wilson shows his valuables to alihabad, who plans to elope with margaret. Midnight shadow 1939 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. He loved cars, the world, and every opportunity to try new things. Considered the greatest year in motion pictures and its hard to argue. The mystery of the midnight ghost of the 1930s a sleek passion project that disappeared. The strange case of the midnight ghost dieselpunks. Busby berkeley famed surrealist choreographer busby berkeleys directorial effort was the first pairing of stars judy garland and mickey rooney in a lets put on a show musical, the third film in which they were in together, and mgms biggest hit of the year. The original title of this cinderellainspired screwball comedy was careless rapture, a heading that signified the devilmaycare euphoria long distinctive of its genre. Released 1939, midnight stars claudette colbert, don ameche, john barrymore, francis lederer the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 34 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. This was partly due to the restrictions imposed on the broadcasting hours of both bbc and itv by the british government, normally no more than 8 hours. The film merges brackett and wilders early emphasis on repartee and masquerade with excostume designer leisens flair for high style and sophistication.
Midnight shadow stands out because of its all black cast but sadly outside of this. Midnight 1939 after hearing so much about this movie from fellow classic film fans, and being an ardent supporter of john barrymore, i was eager to see it. Its like the story of cinderella, except a modern take with a wisecracking, gold digging girl who is more interesting than poor old cinders. The film was released to theaters in the united states on march 15, 1939. Midnight 1939 is a screwball comedy following the adventures of eve peabody claudette colbert, an american showgirl penniless in paris. Nov 20, 2019 he commanded that the longest and most beautiful duesenberg be delivered his way. Aug 29, 2016 1939 don ameche, claudette colbert, mitchell leisen. Feb 19, 2015 midnight 1939 after hearing so much about this movie from fellow classic film fans, and being an ardent supporter of john barrymore, i was eager to see it. Midnight is a 1939 american screwball comedy film directed by mitchell leisen and starring claudette colbert, don ameche, john barrymore, francis lederer, mary astor, and elaine barrie. Claudette colberts performance is sheer perfection in the realm of screwball heroines she is really without peer, except perhaps irene dunnes work in theodora goes wild and the awful truth.
Claudette colbert, don ameche, mary astor, john barrymore. When she realizes his interest in her is more than she wants she ditches him and ends up crashing a society party meeting a wealthy man john barrymore whose wife. Monty woolley when outofwork showgirl eve claudette colbert arrives in paris with no work in sight, she asks taxi driver tibor don ameche to drive her from club to club. This film follows the old dark house theme that ran thought hundreds of films from this period but the majority of the horror elements are watered down in favor of the detective story, which is obviously watered down. Based on a story by edwin justus mayer and franz schulz. The film opens with claudette colbert arriving in paris, penniless. Staring elaine barrie, monty woolley, claudette colbert and mary astor.
The film follows teacher thomas miller izzard who has taken a last minute and controversial role teaching english to the daughters of high. The film opens with eve peabody claudette colbert fast asleep on a just arrived monte carloniceparis train. Midnight 1939 0324 1939 us comedy, romance 1h 34m user score. Still image of don ameche and claudette colbert in midnight.