''The Longest Night'' is a 1936 American

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means ...

directed by

Errol Taggart Errol Taggart (July 15, 1895 – August 30, 1940) was a Canadian film director and film editor who worked in Hollywood during the 1920s and 1930s. He was the editor of four movies directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney: '' The Unkn ...

and written by

Robert Hardy Andrews Charles Robert Douglas Hardy Andrews (October 19, 1903 – November 11, 1976) was a novelist, screenwriter and radio drama scriptwriter. Career Andrews began his career as a reporter for the ''Chicago Daily News'', and edited the newspaper's maga ...

. The film stars Robert Young,

Florence Rice Florence Davenport Rice (February 14, 1907 – February 23, 1974) was an American film actress. Early years Florence Davenport Rice was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of the noted sportswriter Grantland Rice and Fannie Katherine ...

Ted Healy Ted Healy (born Charles Ernest Lee Nash; October 1, 1896 – December 21, 1937) was an American vaudeville performer, comedian, and actor. Though he is chiefly remembered as the creator of The Three Stooges and the style of slapstick comedy th ...

Julie Haydon Julie Haydon (born Donella Donaldson, June 10, 1910 – December 24, 1994) was an American Broadway, film and television actress who received second billing as the female lead in the Ben Hecht–Charles MacArthur 1935 film vehicle for Noël ...

Catherine Doucet Catherine Doucet (born Catherine Green; June 20, 1875 – June 24, 1958) was an American actress. She appeared in more than 30 films between 1915 and 1954. Her film debut came in ''As Husbands Go''. Doucet's work on Broadway began with ''B ...

and

Janet Beecher Janet Beecher (born Janet Meysenberg; October 21, 1884 – August 6, 1955) was an American stage and screen actress. Early years The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Von Meysenburg, Beecher was born in Jefferson City, Missouri. Her sister was ...

. The film was released on October 2, 1936, by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

. Running a mere 51 minutes, it is believed to be the shortest feature ever produced by MGM, lending a certain irony to the title. Elements of the plot were later reworked into the 1941

Marx Bros. Karl Heinrich Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, Critique of political economy, critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. His be ...

comedy ''

The Big Store ''The Big Store'' is a 1941 American comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx) that takes place in a large department store. Groucho appears as private detective Wolf J. Flywheel (a character name originatin ...

''.

Plot

A department store where she works is robbed by Eve Sutton and an accomplice, Carl Briggs. A wristwatch they stole is recognized by Eve's sister Joan, who reports her suspicions to Mrs. Briggs, who is Eve's boss at the store. Joan bumps into Charley Phelps, the store owner's son, who develops a personal interest in her. As an investigation into the robbery begins, Carl Briggs is shot and killed, his mother's body is also found, and Eve and a co-worker, Mr. Grover, are taken hostage. To bring help, Joan starts a fire that sets off the store's sprinkler system. Firemen and police race to the scene as Joan and a crew of cleaning ladies fend off the gang, while Charley fights and overcomes the scheme's mastermind and killer, Grover.

Cast

* Robert Young as Charley Phelps *

as Joan Sutton *

as Police Sergeant Magee *

as Eve Sutton *

as Mrs. Wilson G. Wilson *

as Mrs. Briggs *

Leslie Fenton Leslie Fenton (12 March 1902 – 25 March 1978) was an English actor and film director. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1923 and 1945. Early life Fenton was born on 12 March 1902 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England. He emigrated to ...

as Carl Briggs *

Sidney Toler Sidney Toler (born Hooper G. Toler Jr., April 28, 1874 – February 12, 1947) was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. The second European-American actor to play the role of Charlie Chan on screen, he is best remembered for his p ...

as Captain Holt * Paul Stanton as Mr. Grover *

Etienne Girardot Etienne Girardot (22 February 1856 – 10 November 1939) was a diminutive stage and film actor of Anglo-French parentage born in London, England. Biography The son of French painter Ernest Gustave Girardot, he studied at an art school, but le ...

as Kendrick Kinney * Tommy Bupp as Albert Wilson *

Samuel S. Hinds Samuel Southey Hinds (April 4, 1875 – October 13, 1948) was an American actor and former lawyer. He was often cast as kindly authority figures and appeared in more than 200 films until his death. Early years Hinds was born in Brooklyn, New Y ...

as Hastings *

Minor Watson Minor Watson (December 22, 1889 – July 28, 1965) was a prominent character actor. He appeared in 111 movies made between 1913 and 1956. His credits included '' Boys Town'' (1938), ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' (1942), ''Kings Row'' (1942), '' Guada ...

as Hardy *

Kitty McHugh Kitty McHugh (born Katherine McHugh; October 3, 1902 – September 3, 1954) was an American actress. She appeared in more than 50 films between 1934 and 1953. Early years McHugh was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed McHugh. She had three brother ...

as Midge Riley *

Olin Howland Olin Ross Howland (February 10, 1886 – September 20, 1959) was an American film and theatre actor. Life and career Howland was born in Denver, Colorado, to Joby A. Howland, one of the youngest enlisted participants in the Civil War, an ...

as Smythe * Gertrude Sutton as Miss Ashforth * John Hyams as Mr. Fergus

References

External links

* * * * 1936 films American mystery films 1936 mystery films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films directed by Errol Taggart American black-and-white films Films scored by Edward Ward (composer) 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{mystery-film-stub