Remember the Night

Remember the Night. Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray star in this little known 1940 romantic comedy set in the holiday season. Stanwyck plays a shoplifter on trial before D.A. MacMurray but circumstances lead them to spend the holidays together. The film features a fine supporting cast including Beulah Bondi as his mother, Elizabeth Patterson as a maiden aunt, and Sterling Holloway as the handyman.

Four years later MacMurray and Stanwyck would play a murderous couple in the film classic "Double Indemnity," but in this earlier film their chemistry together is already apparent.

Screen writer Preston Sturges objected to cuts in the script by Director Mitchell Leisen, but I think Leisen was right. The film is a little gem that expertly brings out the transformation of both characters over the course of the story. Nevertheless, Sturges vowed never to work under another and went on to launch his notable directing career. 94minutes. No captions.

Here is a link to a brief video of Sterling Holloway and the rest of the cast singing a lovely rendition of "A Perfect Day" around the Christmas tree.  ###

Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck