Night Must Fall

Director: Karel Reisz Karel Reisz

Overview

Albert Finney stars in this second film version of Emlyn Williams thriller about an innocent looking but psychopathic killer named Danny. Danny is a Welsh hotel bellboy who commits an axe murder near the home of Mrs. Bramson (Mona Washbourne), a well-to-do widow. Danny disposes of the body in a nearby lake and charms Mrs. Bramson and her maid Dora (Sheila Hancock) into allowing him to stay with them. At Mrs. Bramson's home, Danny plays psychological games with Mrs. Bramson while seducing her daughter Olivia (Susan Hampshire). Meanwhile, alone in his room, Danny engages in strange rituals with the severed heads of his victims, which he keeps in a black hatbox. But the police have uncovered the axe and the headless corpse from the lake, and the authorities begin closing in on Danny, whose psychopathic tendencies are beginning to manifest themselves at Mrs. Bramson's home.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/11/2014
UPC:	0888574128531
Original Release:	1964
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Language:	English
Time:	1:41:00
Sales rank:	34,157

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Albert Finney	Danny
Susan Hampshire	Olivia Bramson
Mona Washbourne	Mrs. Bramson
Sheila Hancock	Dora
Joe Gladwin	Dodge
Martin Wyldeck	Inspector Willet
John Gill	Foster
Michael Medwin	Derek

Technical Credits

Clive Exton

Karel Reisz	Director,Producer
Albert Finney	Producer
Clive Exton	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

This remake of Night Must Fall is effective but somewhat awkward. Whereas the original kept the audience guessing as to whether Danny was the killer, this version shows the viewer right from the start (and in somewhat shocking detail) that the character is a murderous psychopath. Presumably, this means that this Night will have a different focus, probably one that concentrates more on the psychological underpinnings that drive this disturbed individual; in fact, there's no real new psychological depth added. Without this, the film has to resort to blatant manipulation to sustain the suspense. That it does so is a credit to director Karel Reisz and star Albert Finney, as well as to cinematographer Freddie Francis, whose exemplary camerawork is crucial to the film's effectiveness. Still, the strain does show and prevents Night from being the much better film that it could have been. Even Finney's captivating, beguiling performance becomes a bit forced after a while, although the actor never runs out of tricks. He's more fortunate in that respect than Susan Hampshire, who can't quite get a handle on a part that no longer makes a great deal of sense. Perhaps too influenced by Psycho, Night Must Fall is no classic, but does deliver its share of chills.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler