The Midnight Story

This Martini is shaken but not stirred.

The Midnight Story (AKA: Appointment With A Shadow) is directed by Joseph Pevney and written by Edwin Blum and John Robinson. It stars Tony Curtis, Marisa Pavan, Gilbert Roland and Jay C. Flippen. Music is by Joseph Gershenson and CinemaScope cinematography is by Russell Metty.

When a San Francisco priest is murdered, friend of the priest, Joe Martini (Curtis), a traffic cop, gets a hunch and ingratiates himself into the family of the man he thinks is responsible.

Somehow it has become one of those 1950s black and white crime movies entered into film noir publications. It doesn't belong in that particular filmic chest, but it does ask to be sought out by fans of such 1950s fare. In actuality it's a whodunit? Thrusting a handsome and restrained Curtis into a murder mystery while his emotions get whacked from all sides. Filmed (joyously so) and set in Frisco, the makers never once play their hand to reveal what the finale will bring.

The everyday life of a working and loving Italian-American family is vividly brought to life, luring us in to their world as intrigued but concerned observers - the North Beach District a sweaty backdrop just waiting to spill its secrets. Pevney keeps things brisk, never letting things sag, even as the inevitable romantic thread dangles (it's 1950s Tony Curtis after all), there's always an air of suspicion and mystery pulsing away in the narrative.

Curtis fronts up for dressage, but delivers promise on an interesting role, but it's Roland's movie all the way. A damn fine turn that only comes to being in the final quarter. In support there is the sturdy presence of Flippen and Ted de Corsia, both of whom leave a telling mark. Each and all building to a finale, which may not contain the wallop one had hoped, but strikes a positive note and rounds it out as a film to seek out. 7/10

Tony Curtis is a keen San Francisco cop ("Joe") who is convinced that the killer of a local priest is none other than local crab fisherman "Malatesta" (Gilbert Roland). There's no evidence, though, and that man has a fairly cast iron alibi. His boss "KIlrain" (Ted de Corsia) tells him to forget it but he can't, so he quits and with a bit of off-the-books help from his sergeant "Gillen" (Jay C. Flippen) he sets out to ingratiate himself with his suspect. Against all the odds, they actually start to bond, and after a short while the older man suggests that "Joe" moves into the family home where he fits in well with "Mama" (Argentina Brunetti) and takes a bit of a shine to the tempestuous daughter "Anna" (Marisa Pavan). The longer he associates with this family, the more convinced he becomes that his hunch was wrong. Then, out of the blue, his old boss gets in touch with some startling information... Curtis is quite engaging here, as are the enthusiastic Pavan and Roland and as the story moves along we are all drawn into the seemingly delightful family scenario. There's a twist waiting for us. It's not one that's entirely unexpected but it quickly hurls us towards an ending that I found just a little rushed and disappointing. This is a solid story that just about manages to keep the romance at bay while the noir-elements prevail, and is still worth a gander.