bsmith5552 I just discovered "So Dark the Night" in the recently released "Film Noir Classics 4" set from Turner Classic Movies. Although it is presented as a border line "noir" it is really a complex little murder mystery with a few surprises thrown in. Filmed on a modest budget on studio bound sets in good old Black and White, it runs a scant 71 minutes.Director Joseph H. Lewis has assembled a cast of largely unknown actors which adds to the mystery elements of the film. Steven Geary plays Parisian detective Henri Cassin who is burned out and ordered to take a vacation by his boss Commissioner Grande (Gregory Gaye). Cassin goes to a country inn and there meets the proprietor's young daughter Nannette Michaud (Micheline Chierel)whereupon a May-December romance begins. Nanette hopes to escape her small village to the lights and glamour of Paris.The girl's father Pierre Michaud opposes the relationship because Nanette is already betrothed to local farmer Antoine (Frank Arnold) and he feels that the age difference between Cassin and Nanette is too great. Antoine is also opposed to the union and promises to continue to pursue Nanette even after her planned marriage to the detective. Mama Michaud (Ann Codee) is pushing Nanette into the relationship to help her to a better life.Nanette and her fiancé are found murdered causing Cssin's vacation to be cut short. He soon begins to investigate the murders with surprising results. The suspects include Nanette's parents, a sinister looking widow (Helen Freeman) and a hunchback (Brother Theodore)Cassin's resolution of the murders comes after he gives a description of the murderer from the clues he has gathered to the police artist back in Paris. The murderer then turns out to be................................................................A good movie.

blanche-2 A French cast is featured in "So Dark the Night," a 1946 B noir directed by Joseph Lewis. Steven Geray is Henri Cassin, a burnt-out detective who goes on holiday. He falls in love with Nanette Michaud (Micheline Cheirel), who kind of plays both ends against the middle. Nanette is already engaged to someone she's known from childhood, and she tells him that she loves him. Meanwhile, she's attracted to the older detective's perceived money and Paris residence. One day, they both end up dead - and there's more tragedy to come.I would have loved to see this plot directed by someone like Hitchcock, who could build the suspense. As it is, it's a good story, but the film is on the lifeless side. Only 29 at the time of filming, Micheline Cheirel comes off as a bit too mature for some reason. Since the movie was low budget, however, there wasn't any attention paid to lighting or soft lenses to give her a more ingénue look. Geray is very good and underplays his role."So Dark the Night" plays about an 1:15 minutes. It's intriguing, but it could have been so much more.

Mike-764 The famous French detective Henri Cassin takes his first vacation in 11 years in St. Margot where he meets Nanette, the daughter of the vacation spot proprietors. Despite Nanette being promised to childhood sweetheart Leon, Henri and Nanette fall in love and decide to marry, despite Nanette's father objecting due to Henri's age. On the day of their wedding, Leon returns and Nanette runs after him. Nothing is heard of the two until both are found dead, and Henri swears he won't rest until he can find the killer. The only clue Henri has to work with is a footprint found by Leon, but he is also getting written warnings that others will die soon. Soon Nanette's mother is found dead and Henri has no idea as to the identity of the killer. Thinking himself a failure he returns to Paris, then he realizes (and fears) that the killer can be only one person, even though none of his colleagues can believe his explanation. Out of the ordinary murder mystery that doesn't really follow the formula in other of the genre by Columbia or other B studios. Credit to that certainly goes to director Lewis who does manage to turn this into a noirish film despite the setting of the film, also aided by the use of good camera-work and lighting. Geray turns in a very good performance in probably his only lead and the rest of the cast is able to carry their performance. Rating, 8.

Daniel-56 Joseph H. lewis was a great director who could do wonderful films with little money. Maybe that was why Columbia's president Harry Cohn gave him so much freedom to work. So Dark is the Night is an almost noir entry about a French detective on vacation in a little town near Paris who investigates some murders which he was somehow involved. A short and objective cheap movie that does not hide the director's talent and gives Steve Geray a great role. People who want to make unexpensive movies should know this gem.