''Crime by Night '' is a 1944

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combin ...

directed by William Clemens, starring

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

and

Jerome Cowan Jerome Palmer Cowan (October 6, 1897 – January 24, 1972) was an American stage, film, and television actor. Early years Cowan was born in New York City, the son of William Cowan, a confectioner of Scottish descent, and Julia Cowan, née Palm ...

. It tells the story of Sam Campbell (

) and his secretary Robbie Vance (

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

), who take a vacation and uncover a murder.

Plot

Larry Borden's career as a concert pianist ended when a dispute with wealthy father-in-law Harvey Carr ended up with his hand chopped by an ax. Carr is found dead from a blow by an ax, and Larry is sure to be the prime suspect. He hires New York detective Sam Campbell and his secretary-partner Robbie Vance. Harvey's daughter and Larry's ex-wife, Irene, also turn up, along with another dead body, the estate's handyman. Irene is now engaged to Paul Goff, a singer, who has an agent, Ann Marlow. A theory develops that Carr's death involved a wartime spy ring and a chemical plant he owned, and Goff is implicated. Goff is the next murder victim, though. Sam and Robbie eventually deduce that Ann is the actual spy. They solve the case and save Larry, freeing them to return to New York.

Cast

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

as Robbie Vance *

as Sam Campbell *

Faye Emerson Faye Margaret Emerson (July 8, 1917 – March 9, 1983) was an American film and stage actress and television interviewer who gained fame as a film actress in the 1940s before transitioning to television in the 1950s and hosting her own talk show ...

as Ann Marlow * Charles Lang as Paul Goff *

Eleanor Parker Eleanor Jean Parker (June 26, 1922 – December 9, 2013) was an American actress. She was nominated for three Academy Awards for her roles in the films ''Caged'' (1950), ''Detective Story'' (1951), and ''Interrupted Melody'' (1955), the first ...

as Irene Carr * Stuart Crawford as Larry Borden *

Cy Kendall Cyrus Willard Kendall (March 10, 1898 – July 22, 1953) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1935 and 1950. Kendall's heavy-set, square-jawed appearance and deep voice were perfect for wiseguy roles such ...

as Sheriff Max Ambers *

Charles C. Wilson Charles Cahill Wilson (July 29, 1894 – January 7, 1948) was an American screen and stage actor. He appeared in numerous films during the Golden Age of Hollywood from the late 1920s to late 1940s. Biography Born in New York City in 1894, the ...

as District Attorney Hyatt

Production

The film was based on the novel ''Forty Whacks'' by Geoffrey Homes. In December 1941 Warners announced they would film it as a vehicle for

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film In ...

instead of a sequel to ''The Maltese Falcon''.SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD New York Times 20 Dec 1941: 25.

References

External links

* * * 1944 films Films directed by William Clemens Warner Bros. films 1940s English-language films American crime drama films Films scored by William Lava 1944 crime drama films American black-and-white films 1940s American films {{1940s-crime-drama-film-stub

Plot

Cast

Production

See also

References

External links