Fly-By-Night (1942)

Simply A Masterpiece

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This was probably Robert Siodmak's first Hollywood feature, and it's an amazing picture full of innovations and surprises, the action never stops but constantly goes on in a frantic pace, and the ingenious story is overspiced with splendid good humour. It's a very dark noir indeed, a theme typical of Hitchcock's most exciting thrillers, and only the beginning sets you off att rocket speed into action, as a highstrung victim of some sort escapes from a mental asylum, runs into a doctor, stays with him and gets murdered at his place, while the doctor is convicted for the murder. The rest is a romantic nonstop escape together with a beautiful woman, an artist, who begins by betraying him... Robert Donat and Robert Cummings made many such roles, but here it is Richard Carlson together with Nancy Kelly. When at last they find the real professor and he is brought to explain what the plot is all about, this results in a most unexpected high gear finale, worthy of Hitchcock's best. I loved this film, a rare treat, and a splendid entrance for Siodmak into Hollywood.

Young Doctor Richard Carlson (Geoffrey) is hijacked by an escapee from a mental hospital who hands him over a formula/plans for G-32. What is G-32? We found out in the end after an outrageous series of escapades.The film keeps you watching with Nancy Kelly (Pat) excelling in her role as the pounced-upon innocent who is dragged into proceedings by Carlson. Mind you, Carlson is only reacting to circumstances that he is put into. The film suffers from too much comedy that isn't funny and ludicrous situations that defy belief. It's a watch-able film but things could have been better.There are scenes that stand out such as the episode on the car-carrying lorry and the ending when the G-32 secret is revealed. However, set against this are idiot policemen, slapstick (yawn) and some try-hard comedy sequences that don't quite work.Next time you smoke a cigarette in a car and flick the butt out of the window make sure it actually goes out of the window. That should be standard practise – obviously not for some a-holes like Richard Carlson.

It's getting to the point where I've seen most major (and readily available) noirs so I'm going back and mining the next layer of the batcave, seeking out hidden gems less well known. Fly-By-Night is a good example: a little-seen crime drama that might deserve another look. Is it a classic? Hell no. Does the plot hold together? Just barely. Is it entertaining and enjoyable? Thoroughly. Does it deserve consideration by noirists looking for something different? Surely.Clearly influenced by the then-popular Hitchcock themes of "wrong man, wrong place" and "man on lam gets involved with gal and hatred / mistrust is ultimately replaced by love," FLY BY NIGHT struggles with logic but finds other virtues to cover motivational issues and credibility. In particular, the murder of the man accompanying the lead into the apartment is beyond preposterous, as is the doctor's (and police's) reaction to what follows. Fortunately, the film's breezy matter-of-fact approach to the ridiculous set-up keeps things moving and we slowly find ourselves involved in a compelling mystery despite the insanity of how things begin.From there the movie takes interesting, unexpected turns and against odds often balances comedy and drama more effectively than a movie this obscure ought to. A surprising twist at the end tops things off and makes this an unexpectedly fun, if implausible, outing. Siodmak is to be commended for cobbling together a nice movie from some pieces that might not have looked as promising on paper. Doesn't hold up under close scrutiny, but this is quite fun and has some different angles than your garden variety noir.

Above-average Paramount "B" thriller from director Robert Siodmak. A few surprises (including an imaginative action sequence and a jolting revelation during a climatic confrontation) elevate a standard falsely-accused-man-on-the-lam plot. Well-paced and atmospheric.