Movie: This is the night, starring Cary Grant and Thelma Todd

Movie Reviewed: This is the Night: Delightful comedy starring Thelma Todd and Cary Grant

This is not the night for two love birds; Claire (Thelma Todd) and Gerald (Roland Young) who are having a torrid affair when it is rudely interrupted by Clair’s husband played by ever charming Cary Grant. When Stephen suspects the adulterous affair, Gerald hires Germaine (Lili Damita), a young French actress to pose as Gerald’s wife. This pretentious arrangement irks Clair who actually loves Gerald. At the end, the plot turns into a real screwball slapstick. This is absolutely funny comedy, but running on a very provocative story like this at the height of great depression was also a bold move on the part of the Paramount Studios (pre-code era.) This is Cary Grant's first screen appearance, and also one of the funny films of French star Lili Damita.

Before this movie, Cary Grant (CG) decided to use this name because the initials stood for good luck. He was thinking of other successful stars like Clark Gable (CG) and Gary Cooper (GC) for whom these initials worked. Looking back in history, Cary was absolutely right!

Actress Thelma Todd died tragically five years after making this film in 1937. The death was ruled an accident but it is widely suspected as a murder. Many reporters and private investigators criticized the way LAPD handled this case; at that time LAPD was known to be very corrupt in the nation.

There is some interesting conversation in the movie;

Claire Mathewson: [they are seated in the back of their car; Claire has had her dress torn by the car door] Gerald, aren't you going to do anything?
Gerald Gray: Here?
Claire Mathewson: No, no. I mean about discharging your chauffeur
Gerald Gray: Oh, oh let me keep him. I've let you keep your husband
Claire Mathewson: I haven't kept him
Gerald Gray: What?
Claire Mathewson: He left this morning
Gerald Gray: For good?
Claire Mathewson: No, no, for the Olympic Games at Los Angeles. He's in them, you know. Haven't you ever heard of Steve Mathewson, the javelin thrower?
Gerald Gray: Javelin thrower?
Claire Mathewson: ah ha
Gerald Gray: Do you mean those long, murderous harpoon things? [After she nods]
Gerald Gray: Claire, the moment you meet a man, right after you've said 'how do you do?' you should add 'my husband throws javelins'.