Night Must Fall (1964)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1964
Running Times: 92m (Germany)/101m (USA)
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: black and white
Ratio:
Sound:

DIRECTION

Directed by: Karel Reisz

PRODUCTION
Copyright: © MCMLXIV [1964] by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios Ltd.
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer presents (opening titles)  A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture
Executive Producer: Lawrence P. Bachman
Produced by: Albert Finney, Karel Reisz
Production Manager: Timothy Burrill

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Clive Exton
Adapted from the play by Emelyn Williams

DIRECTION
Assistant Director: David Tomblin

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Freddie Francis
Camera Operator: Gerry Fisher

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editing Supervision: Fergus McDonell
Editor: Philip Barnikel

MUSIC
Music Composed and Conducted by: Ron Grainer

SOUND
Recording Supervisor: A.W. Watkins
Sound Recordist: Cyril Swern
Dubbing Mixer: J.B. Smith
Sound Editor: Malcolm Cooke
Westrex Recording System

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Timothy O'Brien
Art Director: Lionel Couch

OTHER CREW
Runner: Salomon Leiter (uncredited)

LOCATIONS
Produced at: MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, England, UK

CAST

Albert Finney (Danny)

also starring
Mona Washbourne (Mrs Bramson)
Susan Hampshire (Olivia)
Sheila Hancock (Dora)
Michael Medwin (Derek)

Joe Gladwin (Dodge)
Martin Wyldeck (Inspector Willett)
John Gill (Foster)

Danny is employed by Mrs Bramson, a rich old lady who also employs Danny's girlfriend as a maid. Danny is hired as a handyman to help her maintain her country mansion. But Danny is a psychotic axe murderer who fixes his sights on Mrs Bramson's daughter...

USA
Theatrical Distributor: MGM

Finland
Rating: banned in 1964

UK
Rating: X

1964
Berlin International Film Festival
Golden Berlin Bear (Karel Reisz) - nominated

1964
June
Day Unknown: West Germany - shown at the Berlin Film Festival

The lusty brawling star of "Tom Jones" goes psycho in [Night Must Fall].

La force des ténebres - French title
La doppia vita di Dan Craig - Italian title
Griff aus dem Dunkel - German title

REMAKE OF
Night Must Fall (1937a)
Night Must Fall (1937b)

PERIODICALS

Monthly Film Bulletin July 1964 p.103 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Film Daily 19 March 1964 (UK)
review

BOOKS

English Gothic pp.88-89
review (by Jonathan Rigby)

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.260
credits, review

Reference Guide to Fantastic Films p.334
credits

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

axe murders, films based on stage plays, serial killers

Last Updated: 14 June, 2009