Eyes in the Night (1942)

21% of users liked it
(64 ratings)

Edward Arnold made the first of his two screen appearances as Bayard Kendrick's blind detective Captain Duncan McLain in MGM's Eyes in the Night. The plot is set in motion by Norma Lawry (Ann Harding), whose stepdaughter Barbara (Donna Reed) has been keeping company with washed-up actor Paul Gerente… More Edward Arnold made the first of his two screen appearances as Bayard Kendrick's blind detective Captain Duncan McLain in MGM's Eyes in the Night. The plot is set in motion by Norma Lawry (Ann Harding), whose stepdaughter Barbara (Donna Reed) has been keeping company with washed-up actor Paul Gerente (John Emery). Norma feels that Gerente, an ex-lover of hers, is a bad influence for Barbara, but the girl merely assumes that Norma wants Gerente all to herself. When the ageing actor is murdered, Barbara assumes that Norma committed the crime. Rather than go to the police, Norma heads to her old friend Duncan McLain, but when the detective arrives at the scene of the murder, the body has disappeared. Detecting the odor of violets in the room, McLain uses this tiny clue to build a case against a gang of Nazi spies, headed by the Lawry's butler Hansen (Stanley Ridges), with whom the late Mr. Gerente had been collaborating. Just knowing who did it isn't enough in this case, however: getting the drop on McLain and his associates, the villains hold the detective and Lawry prisoner until they are able to get their hands on a secret formula developed by Barbara's father (Reginald Denny). In true movie-serial fashion, it is McLain's faithful seeing-eye dog Friday (played by "himself") who saves the day. A "B" picture with "A" entertainment value, Eyes in the Night proved successful enough to warrant a sequel, 1945's The Hidden Eye. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: Fred Zinnemann
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Oct 16, 1942 Wide
On DVD: Mar 29, 2005

Critic Reviews

Theodore Strauss, New York Times
Credit the Messrs. Zinnemann and Chertok with another hectic little pulse-quickener.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Passable standard whodunit wartime B-thriller with an A-team cast.
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
A minor but jolly slice of ingenious sleuthery.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Reed, who would later become known for her portrayal of a sugary sweet TV mom, is convincing as the willful, precocious stepdaughter.

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Cast

            Edward Arnold as Capt. Duncan Maclain

            Ann Harding as Norma Lawry

            Katherine Emery as Cheli Scott

            Horace McNally as Gabriel Hoffman

            Allen Jenkins as Marty

            Stanley Ridges as Hansen

            Reginald Denny as Stephen Lawry

            John Emery as Paul Gerente

            Rosemary De Camp as Vera Hoffman

            Erik Rolf as Boyd

            Barry Nelson as Busch

            Reginald Sheffield as Victor

            Steven Geray as Anderson

            Mantan Moreland as Alistair

            John K. Butler as Driver

            Dog: Friday
            
            Ivan Miller as Herman

            William Nye as Hugo

            Frances Rafferty as Girl

            Donna Reed as Barbara Lawry

            Milburn Stone as Pete

            Walter Tetley as Boy

            Frank Thomas as Police Lieutenant

            Fred Walburn
            
            Marie Windsor as Actress

            Cliff Danielson as Boy

            Robert Winkler
            
            Edward Kilroy as Pilot
See full cast

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