Touches You

Lack of good storyline.

Excellent but underrated film

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Edward Arnold is blind, but that doesn't handicap him too much in his profession as detective in "Eyes in the Night." A female friend, played by Ann Harding, goes to him for help on how to handle a sticky situation. An ex of hers has latched himself on to her stepdaughter, played by Donna Reed. She knows he's no good, but of course Donna doesn't listen to her. What is the stepmother to do? Edward tells her to confront the man and ask him to leave Donna alone. But coincidentally, the guy, an actor in a repertory group, has been murdered just minutes before she gets there to talk to him. Such sets up the stage of intrigue. And then, we some of Ann's household staff attempting to crack the family safe, because the father/husband is a scientist, who's secret solution is invaluable to them. Hey, they're not really the staff, are they?! The husband has gone to Washington, DC for a meeting about all this, so that's why he's not there throughout all the action of the movie until…. Edward is aided by his dog, Friday and Allen Jenkins, his right hand man. The movie is just as much as the dog's as it is Edward Arnold's, with all the action given to the dog. Both Stanley Ridges and Katherine Emery (you really hate her) give memorable performances as part of the gang, each trying to exert power over each other and Rosemary de Camp, Stephen McNally, and Barry Nelson are also part of the gang. This was a lot of fun, with Edward Arnold chewing up a lot of the scenery and the dog doing his part. This was followed by a sequel, "The Hidden Eye," but, while passable entertainment, that's not nearly as much fun and not as well made. Director Fred Zinnemann's "Eyes in the Night" is shown on TCM from time to time, so when you're surfing the channels and find it, sit a spell and enjoy yourself.

An amateurish screenplay and some one-dimensional characterizations dominate this ridiculous thriller where a not-quite so thin man had a brief attempt (2 films in a 3 year period) at a series that never got off the ground. It all starts with the murder of a ham actor who was leading on the stepdaughter of an old flame, and that old flame's ousting by the jealous step-daughter from her father's home. Donna Reed, future Oscar Winner for "From Here to Eternity", gives an entirely too impish and testy performance, snarling as if she were preparing for an audition to play Veda in "Mildred Pierce". Ann Harding and Edward Arnold fare better but the best performance is by a German Shepherd named Friday, obviously given the role since Asta was unavailable.It's obvious from the get-go where this film is going, basically a dime store novel whose structure earned a quick read after being bought on the close-out shelves but ultimately ended up in a thrift shop once that initial read was completed. For MGM to have commissioned this as a screenplay with a cast of former "A" stars seems misguided with its preposterous story, ridiculously melodramatic writing and cartoon villains (a la Boris and Natasha) drawing groans.

Blind detective Edward Arnold (as Duncan "Mac" Maclain) and his faithful dog "Friday" are visited by actress friend Ann Harding (as Norma Lawry). Retired from the stage, Ms. Harding is worried because an old flame is making love to her bratty teenage step-daughter Donna Reed (as Barbara). Harding attempts to visit Ms. Reed at her lover's apartment and finds a dead body. Reed thinks Harding committed the murder and demands she leave husband and father Reginald Denny (as Stephen Lawry). Harding asks Mr. Arnold to investigate, but the dead body is missing...To investigate, Arnold moves into Harding's estate posing as her heretofore unknown "Uncle Mac" and finds the household staff infiltrated with Nazi spies. Next to show up as a guest is playwright Katherine Emery (as Cheli Scott), who plays a surprisingly central role. Everyone has a lot of fun, especially Arnold and his dog "Friday". New director Fred Zinnemann handles his second full-length feature assignment well. This was the first in a series of crime dramas starring Arnold as the disabled detective. "The Hidden Eye" (1945) was a belated second, and last, adventure.****** Eyes in the Night (10/16/42) Fred Zinnemann ~ Edward Arnold, Ann Harding, Donna Reed, Katherine Emery

Edward Arnold is a blind detective with a guide dog named Friday. Investigating a murder for a friend, he visits a house filled with Nazi spies and their unwitting hosts who include a 21-year-old Donna Reed. The spies are after some secrets hidden in a safe. Arnold foils their plan. In one physical conflict, he smashes the light so that he and his opponent are on an equal footing -- "In the dark. My kingdom." Friday the dog is cute and provides some moments of comedy, as do the two African-American servants, one of them Mantan Moreland. This dog is really something. He's smarter than some students I've had and far more physically adroit than I ever was.And yet it's a B picture from beginning to end. There were dozens of these inexpensive and mechanical films ground out by the studios in the war years. That Arnold is blind is no more than an attempt to introduce an element of novelty. Oh, and the dog. "Eyes in the Night" was supposed to be the beginning of a series, of which there were a number at the time -- "The Falcon," "Dick Tracy," "Joe Palooka." I think there may have been one more entry in the series before it mercifully expired.Ho hum.