Eyes in the Night (1942)

Sorry, this movie sucks

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

I don't know how many biscuits they paid the dog Friday, but however many, he deserved more. Breaking up a Nazi plot must have been tough for a German Shepherd, but he proves he's as American as any of us mixed breed humans. Still, it must have been tough ignoring the come-on from that sexy French Poodle. But then duty comes first, even for our four- footed allies.It's a tough bunch of Nazi spies, led by a woman (Emery) who could easily boss Hitler around. Naturally, they're after some secret gizmo that'll help them win the war. And only Friday and his blind owner are in the way-- now there's an imaginative variation on the amateur sleuth genre so popular at the time. Arnold's effective as the blind gumshoe, projecting enough dominant personality to compete with the bad guys. And being an MGM production, no corners are cut even though it's a b&w B-movie.Zinnemann directs with style and economy, showing why he's slated for bigger things. Then too, the visuals have an almost noirish look since Maclain works best in the dark. And who could overlook the lovely Donna Reed, even though her bumptious Barbara Lawry is a long way from Reed's usual sweetness and light. Anyhow, it's an entertaining, different kind of detective movie, even if the plot is a little stale.

This is by far Edward Arnold's finest role. He puts away his usual gruff attitude and plays a blind detective who gets involved with his friend's new husband, a scientist. Unknown to all, the people working around them in the house and his daughter's dramatic coach are all apart of a Nazi spy ring seeking out certain information that the scientist has.It's an absolute joy to watch Arnold thwart the spies. Ann Harding is also very good as the scientist's wife. She is embroiled in a bitter dispute with her step-daughter. (Donna Reed) Seems that the 17 year old, played by Miss Reed, has a new beau, who was the former love interest of Harding. When he turns up dead, she suspects Harding and orders her out of the house. Go know that the boyfriend was in with the gang of spies.Friday, Arnold's dog, steals the movie with his scenes of bravery and intelligence.A very well-rounded movie, exciting, tense and provocative.

With the new "Dallas" series up and running on TNT to high ratings (No surprise it was the No. 1 cable show last night), I'm devoting the summer to reviewing many movies and TV appearances of these regular and recurring players of the original series here on IMDb in chronological order. So it is that I'm starting in 1942 when young adult Donna Reed-who became Miss Ellie No. 2 during the 1984-85 season when originator Barbara Bel Geddes had to temporarily leave for health reasons-was starting out as a contract player at M-G-M where the original "Dallas" was partially shot for interiors. In contrast to her usually wholesome roles like that of It's a Wonderful Life-though her Mary Hatch wasn't above making her mother think George Bailey was, well you know-here she plays a teen girl who's dating a much older man that was once a lover of her stepmother (Ann Harding). Since both her character and that of Harding's play actresses, it's a particular pleasure when Ms. Reed acts condescending to Ms. Harding as they both seem to talk as if they're rehearsing for some play. Anyway, the real star is Edward Arnold as the blind detective Duncan Maclain who's not above creating some scenes himself as he tries to both solve a murder and uncover a Nazi scheme with the able assist of his dog Friday. Directed by eventual master filmmaker Fred Zinnemann, he provides enough atmosphere that makes this movie rise a little above its B-movie roots. There's also some amusements from sidekicks Allen Jenkins and Mantan Moreland with the latter just two years away from being Charlie Chan's regular manservant Birmingham Brown. Really, all I'll say now is Eyes in the Night is worth a look.

That dog Friday! In between Rin-Tin-Tin in the 1920s (also a German shepherd) and Lassie just a season or two later I discovered by seeing this film for the first time that there was also Friday, actor-dog extraordinaire! Not only was Edward Arnold deprived of a series and confined to but one more sequel to this very clever and entertaining movie in which his character as a blind detective might have gone on for quite a while, but Friday never got off the ground as a dog star either. And judging from his astonishing tricks and acting accomplishments in this film he would have continued as a canine sensation if they'd only have let him! As to handicapped detectives, Edward Arnold's role seemed to be a clear predecessor to Raymond Burr's Ironside some decades later as a wheelchair-bound but equally efficacious lawyer.As I watched this plot unfold, with the manipulative and steely step-daughter played so brilliantly and uncharacteristically (considering her later popular and more sympathetic roles) by Donna Reed as she constantly confronted her long-suffering stepmother Ann Harding, I could not help but be struck by the parallel to Mildred Pierce, filmed just a few years later. In that film the corresponding parts were taken by a likewise debuting and equally bitchy Ann Blyth and the much put-upon mother, veteran Joan Crawford. I wonder if the makers of MP had Eyes in the Night in the back of their mind as they wove their own plot.