the audience applauded

Simply A Masterpiece

Beautiful, moving film.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

***SPOILERS*** Confusing murder mystery involving a one handed pianist Larry Bordon who claims he's been framed in his father-in-law's murder. Larry himself was almost shot and killed as soon as the movie opened by an unknown assailant while Larry was on his rowboat. Fearful for his life Larry got in touch with famed New York private eye Sam Campbell to not only save his neck from the person or persons who are trying to murder him but from his being arrested and tried for the murder of his father-in-law Harvey Carr whom he found axed to death in his rowboat. In fact t was Mr.Carr who chopped off Larry's left hand in a fit over his strained relationship with his daughter, and Larry's wife, Irene.The movie gets even more complicated that it already is when the boathouse caretaker is found by Campbell brutally axed, but still alive, by the very same person who murdered Mr.Carr. The fact that the caretaker is still alive is very good news for Larry in if he's telling the truth the caretaker can prove that Larry's innocent by not identifying him as his attacker. That all later turns sour for Larry with the caretaker not coming out of his coma and dying. That leaves Larry on the hook in not only killing Mr.Carr but the caretaker as well. As Campbell begins to follow the trail of evidence in both Mr.Carr and the caretakers murder it becomes evident to him that the double murders were really an effort to cover up a far more sinister crime.***SPOILERS*** All that leads to both Ann Marlow and her boyfriend singer Paul Goff who are staying at a hotel not far from the crime scene who seemed to have had some kind of special dealings with the late and murdered Mr. Carr. And it was Mr.Carr's suspicions of them that in fact may well have lead to his murder. Or better yet could it have been Mr.Carr's former son-in-law Larry Bordon who had it in for Mr.Carr ever since he destroyed his career as a concert pianist! It was Campbell and his secretary Robbie "Candy-Lamb" Vance who by setting up a trap at the local horse stable who got Mr.Carr's killer to trip himself up. In him thinking that the stable owner Dad Martin, whom one of his horses was used by the killer to make his escape, had spotted him and then tried to murder Martin as well! As for the real reason behind Mr.Carr's murder it had to do with what was going on the other side of the world, Europe, at the time, 1944, and the super secret formula that Mr.Carr was working on that those who murdered him were after.

"Crime by Night" is based on a book by Daniel Mainwaring, who went to write some of the best screen plays of the genre. This 1944 B movie was directed with great style by William Clemens. The film has good moments, but best of all is the presence of Jerome Cowan in the main role of the private investigator, Sam Campbell.Sam is called to help a man accused of killing his father-in-law, a crime he didn't commit. Sam arrives accompanied by his assistant, Robbie Vance, who he calls "Candy Lamb". The story takes us to meet the corrupt sheriff Max Anders who is running for reelection. We also meet the cunning Ann Marlowe, a shady woman who has an interest in all we are seeing. Sam Campbell solves the mystery with assurance.For being a B movie, "Crime by Night" gathered an interesting cast. Best of all, Jerome Cowan, who played in a lot of films of the genre, most notably in "The Maltese Falcon". Mr. Cowan didn't make it big in the movies, but in this one, he is quite enjoyable as the sleazy man who knows where to go to unmask the truth. Jane Wyman is hardly seen, although she is quite effective in her small part. Faye Emerson plays Ann Marlowe with style and conviction. Cy Kendall is the crooked sheriff Max Anders. Eleanor Parker and Charles Wilson are also seen in smaller parts.Another comment to this forum says it all in the praise to TCM for keeping these forgotten movies alive by presenting them from time to time to new audiences.

Private Eye Sam Campbell is hired by the estranged husband of a woman whose father he's accused of killing. With a few good plot twists, he uncovers the real murderer and the reason behind that and two other subsequent killings.Don't pass up an opportunity to see character actor Jerome Cowan for once in the lead. His most noted role in film was also a detective as Sam Spade's luckless partner Miles Archer in the Maltese Falcon. In that film he was a lady's man whose hormones got him killed. Here he's quite the ladies man as well, but his mind as it turns out is on business first.Cowan's main squeeze in this film is Jane Wyman. She played a lot of molls before she got real roles of substance later in the decade, culminating with that Oscar for Johnny Belinda. It's interesting to see her in these roles sometimes though.Of the supporting cast the biggest kudos go to Cy Kendall who was the hapless sheriff. It's a running truism in Hollywood that in these detective stories, the police always get shown up by the private eye. Sometimes the cops are smart, but the private eye is smarter and sometimes they're downright dumb. It's the latter here.This film is an enjoyable product from Warner's B film unit.

For a fifteen year period between the late 1930's and the early 1950's, Jerome Cowan played supporting roles to a number of big name stars in a variety of movies. Here he gets a chance to be the lead in this snappy little B picture, playing a detective on vacation. He was notable for playing wisecracking sidekicks, and in Crime By Night he plays a wisecracking detective. His sidekick is Jane Wyman who is actually listed as the lead here, but she plays second fiddle as Cowan's "candy lamb." Faye Emerson is on hand in a supporting role, and Eleanor Parker has a small role in one of her early films. The pace is fast with snappy dialog written by Daniel Mainwaring, who a few years later became famous for the quintessential film noir: Out Of The Past, which was based on his novel Build My Gallows High. **1/2 of 4 stars.