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Night and Day (1946 film)

April 11, 2023

Night and Day is a 1946 American biographical and musical film starring Cary Grant, in a fictionalized account of the life of American composer and songwriter Cole Porter.

Night and Day
Original film poster
Directed byMichael Curtiz
Written byCharles Hoffman
Leo Townsend
William Bowers
Produced byArthur Schwartz
Jack L. Warner (executive producer)
StarringCary Grant
Alexis Smith
Monty Woolley
Mary Martin
Jane Wyman
Dorothy Malone
Eve Arden
Alan Hale
CinematographyJ. Peverell Marley
William V. Skall
Edited byDavid Weisbart
Music byRay Heindorf
Max Steiner
Milton Ager
Jack Yellen
Cole Porter (songs)
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Warner Bros.
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • August 3, 1946 (1946-08-03)
Running time
128 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4,445,000[1]
Box office$7,418,000 (worldwide rentals)[1]

The movie was directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Arthur Schwartz, with Jack L. Warner as executive producer. The screenplay was written by Charles Hoffman, Leo Townsend and William Bowers.

The music score by Ray Heindorf and Max Steiner was nominated for an Academy Award. The film features several of the best-known Porter songs, including the title song "Night and Day," "Begin the Beguine," and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy."

Alexis Smith plays Linda Lee Porter, Porter's wife of 35 years. Monty Woolley and Mary Martin appear as themselves.

Production

Jack Warner paid $300,000 for the rights to Cole Porter's best known songs, and viewed the film as a "big-budget extravaganza" that would celebrate Warner Brothers' twenty years in sound films. The scriptwriters knew that the film would need to be fictionalized, because he lacked the "rags to riches" quality common to subjects of biographical films, and was gay. Depictions of homosexuality were prohibited by film industry's Production Code.[2]

Warner paid Grant $100,000 and bought out his contract at Columbia Pictures at a considerably greater sum. Grant and Curtiz clashed often, with much of the fighting over a script Grant viewed as weak, with "lousy characterizations." Much of the script was rewritten at his behest. Grant sometimes refused to act in scenes that he felt were poorly written, and was critical of other aspects of production. He later recalled that Curtiz lost his temper so much that the director sometimes lost his train of thought.[2]

Grant sings several of the songs, which made Night and Day the closest he came to making a musical after the end of his stage career. He was described by his biographer as a "competent though not a very expressive singer."[2]

Production of the film was impeded by a 1945 strike of the Conference of Studio Workers, who represented film set builders.[2]

Cast

Plot summary

The film is an almost entirely fictionalized[2] version of the life of Cole Porter from his college days at Yale University, where he is studying law at the encouragement of his grandfather. One of his law professors, Monty Woolley, playing himself, encourages his song-writing. (In fact, Woolley was a classmate of Porter.)

Porter abandons study of law and Woolley leaves Yale as well. Porter's songwriting is interrupted by French Foreign Legion service in the First World War, in which he is wounded. He resumes music after the war, and weds Linda, a longtime family friend. Their marriage suffers due to Porter's dedication to his songwriting, which leaves him little time for a personal life.

At the height of his career, after many successes, Porter suffers a serious accident while horseback riding, fracturing both his legs and remaining crippled. Despite many operations he cannot walk without assistance. In the end, he reunites with Linda, who had left him.

Unsurprisingly, the film completely omits any mention of Porter's homosexuality.

Reception

In a review upon release of the film, Thomas Pyror of The New York Times called the film "a generally pleasant and musically exciting show." The Times praised the musical numbers and the performances by Grant and Woolley, but noted the straying from historical fact and the thin and conventional scenario the scenarists concocted about the fabulous Mr. Porter."[3] In 2004, at the debut of another film on Porter's life, De-Lovely, the Times called Night and Day "so-bad-it's-almost-good." The newspaper recounted that when Night and Day was being filmed, "Orson Welles cracked: 'What will they use for a climax? The only suspense is: will he or won't he accumulate $10 million?'"[4]

Musical numbers

  1. "I'm in Love Again" – sung and danced by Jane Wyman
  2. "Bulldog, Bulldog" – sung by Cary Grant and male chorus
  3. "In the Still of the Night" – sung by Dorothy Malone (dubbed by Bobbie Canvin) and chorus
  4. "Old Fashioned Garden" – sung by Cary Grant and Selena Royle
  5. "You've Got That Thing" – sung by Paula Drew, Pat Clark and Jane Harker
  6. "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" – sung by Jane Wyman
  7. "You Do Something to Me" – sung and danced by Jane Wyman and chorus
  8. "I'm Unlucky at Gambling" – sung by Eve Arden
  9. "Miss Otis Regrets" – sung by Monty Woolley (as himself)
  10. "I Wonder What's Become of Sally" – sung by Ginny Simms
  11. "What Is This Thing Called Love?" – sung by Ginny Simms
  12. "I've Got You Under My Skin" – sung by Ginny Simms and danced by Adam Di Gatano and Jane Di Gatano
  13. "Rosalie" – sung by chorus
  14. "Night and Day" – sung by Bill Days
  15. "Just One of Those Things" – sung by Ginny Simms and danced by Estelle Sloan with chorus
  16. "You're the Top" – sung by Ginny Simms and Cary Grant
  17. "I Get a Kick Out of You" – sung by Ginny Simms and danced by chorus
  18. "Easy to Love" – sung by chorus
  19. "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" – sung by Mary Martin (as herself, the original 1938 Broadway performer) and chorus
  20. "Do I Love You?" – a few lines, by "rehearsing" background singer
  21. "Don't Fence Me In" – a few lines, in short clip from 1944 movie Hollywood Canteen, sung by Roy Rogers
  22. "Begin the Beguine" – sung by Carlos Ramírez and danced by George Zoritch and Milada Mladova with chorus
  23. "Bulldog, Bulldog" (reprise) – sung by chorus
  24. "Night and Day" (reprise) – sung by chorus

Box office

The film was a hit, earning theatrical rentals of $4,990,000 domestically and $2,428,000 in foreign markets.[1][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Glancy, H. Mark (1995). "Warner Bros Film Grosses, 1921-51: the William Schaefer ledger. Appendix on microfiche". Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television. 15 (1): 55–73. doi:10.1080/01439689500260031.
  2. ^ a b c d e Glancy, Mark (2020-09-25). Cary Grant, the Making of a Hollywood Legend. Oxford University Press. pp. 263–266. ISBN 978-0-19-005313-0.
  3. ^ "THE SCREEN; 'Night and Day,' Warner Version of Cole Porter's Life, Opens at Hollywood--Cary Grant and Monty Woolley in Leads". The New York Times. 1946-07-26. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  4. ^ Purdum, Todd S. (2004-06-20). "FILM; Cole Porter's Two Biopics? They're Night and Day". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  5. ^ Cohn, Lawrence (October 15, 1990). "All Time Film Rental Champs". Variety. p. M-174. ISSN 0042-2738.

External links

April 11, 2023
night, 1946, film, night, 1946, american, biographical, musical, film, starring, cary, grant, fictionalized, account, life, american, composer, songwriter, cole, porter, night, dayoriginal, film, posterdirected, bymichael, curtizwritten, bycharles, hoffman, to. Night and Day is a 1946 American biographical and musical film starring Cary Grant in a fictionalized account of the life of American composer and songwriter Cole Porter Night and DayOriginal film posterDirected byMichael CurtizWritten byCharles Hoffman Leo Townsend William BowersProduced byArthur SchwartzJack L Warner executive producer StarringCary GrantAlexis SmithMonty WoolleyMary MartinJane WymanDorothy MaloneEve ArdenAlan HaleCinematographyJ Peverell MarleyWilliam V SkallEdited byDavid WeisbartMusic byRay HeindorfMax SteinerMilton AgerJack YellenCole Porter songs Color processTechnicolorProductioncompanyWarner Bros Distributed byWarner Bros Release dateAugust 3 1946 1946 08 03 Running time128 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget 4 445 000 1 Box office 7 418 000 worldwide rentals 1 The movie was directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Arthur Schwartz with Jack L Warner as executive producer The screenplay was written by Charles Hoffman Leo Townsend and William Bowers The music score by Ray Heindorf and Max Steiner was nominated for an Academy Award The film features several of the best known Porter songs including the title song Night and Day Begin the Beguine and My Heart Belongs to Daddy Alexis Smith plays Linda Lee Porter Porter s wife of 35 years Monty Woolley and Mary Martin appear as themselves Contents 1 Production 2 Cast 3 Plot summary 4 Reception 5 Musical numbers 6 Box office 7 References 8 External linksProduction EditJack Warner paid 300 000 for the rights to Cole Porter s best known songs and viewed the film as a big budget extravaganza that would celebrate Warner Brothers twenty years in sound films The scriptwriters knew that the film would need to be fictionalized because he lacked the rags to riches quality common to subjects of biographical films and was gay Depictions of homosexuality were prohibited by film industry s Production Code 2 Warner paid Grant 100 000 and bought out his contract at Columbia Pictures at a considerably greater sum Grant and Curtiz clashed often with much of the fighting over a script Grant viewed as weak with lousy characterizations Much of the script was rewritten at his behest Grant sometimes refused to act in scenes that he felt were poorly written and was critical of other aspects of production He later recalled that Curtiz lost his temper so much that the director sometimes lost his train of thought 2 Grant sings several of the songs which made Night and Day the closest he came to making a musical after the end of his stage career He was described by his biographer as a competent though not a very expressive singer 2 Production of the film was impeded by a 1945 strike of the Conference of Studio Workers who represented film set builders 2 Cast EditCary Grant as Cole Porter Alexis Smith as Linda Lee Porter Monty Woolley as himself Ginny Simms as Carole Hill Jane Wyman as Gracie Harris Eve Arden as Gabrielle Victor Francen as Anatole Giron Alan Hale Sr as Leon Dowling Dorothy Malone as Nancy Tom D Andrea as Tommy Selena Royle as Kate Porter Donald Woods as Ward Blackburn Henry Stephenson as Omar Cole Paul Cavanagh as Bart McClelland Sig Ruman as Wilowski Mary Martin as herself Gordon Richards as Cochran uncredited Plot summary EditThe film is an almost entirely fictionalized 2 version of the life of Cole Porter from his college days at Yale University where he is studying law at the encouragement of his grandfather One of his law professors Monty Woolley playing himself encourages his song writing In fact Woolley was a classmate of Porter Porter abandons study of law and Woolley leaves Yale as well Porter s songwriting is interrupted by French Foreign Legion service in the First World War in which he is wounded He resumes music after the war and weds Linda a longtime family friend Their marriage suffers due to Porter s dedication to his songwriting which leaves him little time for a personal life At the height of his career after many successes Porter suffers a serious accident while horseback riding fracturing both his legs and remaining crippled Despite many operations he cannot walk without assistance In the end he reunites with Linda who had left him Unsurprisingly the film completely omits any mention of Porter s homosexuality Reception EditIn a review upon release of the film Thomas Pyror of The New York Times called the film a generally pleasant and musically exciting show The Times praised the musical numbers and the performances by Grant and Woolley but noted the straying from historical fact and the thin and conventional scenario the scenarists concocted about the fabulous Mr Porter 3 In 2004 at the debut of another film on Porter s life De Lovely the Times called Night and Day so bad it s almost good The newspaper recounted that when Night and Day was being filmed Orson Welles cracked What will they use for a climax The only suspense is will he or won t he accumulate 10 million 4 Musical numbers Edit I m in Love Again sung and danced by Jane Wyman Bulldog Bulldog sung by Cary Grant and male chorus In the Still of the Night sung by Dorothy Malone dubbed by Bobbie Canvin and chorus Old Fashioned Garden sung by Cary Grant and Selena Royle You ve Got That Thing sung by Paula Drew Pat Clark and Jane Harker Let s Do It Let s Fall in Love sung by Jane Wyman You Do Something to Me sung and danced by Jane Wyman and chorus I m Unlucky at Gambling sung by Eve Arden Miss Otis Regrets sung by Monty Woolley as himself I Wonder What s Become of Sally sung by Ginny Simms What Is This Thing Called Love sung by Ginny Simms I ve Got You Under My Skin sung by Ginny Simms and danced by Adam Di Gatano and Jane Di Gatano Rosalie sung by chorus Night and Day sung by Bill Days Just One of Those Things sung by Ginny Simms and danced by Estelle Sloan with chorus You re the Top sung by Ginny Simms and Cary Grant I Get a Kick Out of You sung by Ginny Simms and danced by chorus Easy to Love sung by chorus My Heart Belongs to Daddy sung by Mary Martin as herself the original 1938 Broadway performer and chorus Do I Love You a few lines by rehearsing background singer Don t Fence Me In a few lines in short clip from 1944 movie Hollywood Canteen sung by Roy Rogers Begin the Beguine sung by Carlos Ramirez and danced by George Zoritch and Milada Mladova with chorus Bulldog Bulldog reprise sung by chorus Night and Day reprise sung by chorusBox office EditThe film was a hit earning theatrical rentals of 4 990 000 domestically and 2 428 000 in foreign markets 1 5 References Edit a b c Glancy H Mark 1995 Warner Bros Film Grosses 1921 51 the William Schaefer ledger Appendix on microfiche Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television 15 1 55 73 doi 10 1080 01439689500260031 a b c d e Glancy Mark 2020 09 25 Cary Grant the Making of a Hollywood Legend Oxford University Press pp 263 266 ISBN 978 0 19 005313 0 THE SCREEN Night and Day Warner Version of Cole Porter s Life Opens at Hollywood Cary Grant and Monty Woolley in Leads The New York Times 1946 07 26 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2021 04 13 Purdum Todd S 2004 06 20 FILM Cole Porter s Two Biopics They re Night and Day The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2021 04 13 Cohn Lawrence October 15 1990 All Time Film Rental Champs Variety p M 174 ISSN 0042 2738 External links EditNight and Day at IMDb Night and Day at AllMovie Night and Day at the TCM Movie Database Night and Day at the American Film Institute Catalog Night and Day at Rotten Tomatoes Historic reviews photo gallery at CaryGrant net Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Night and Day 1946 film amp oldid 1144023891, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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