Before Joe Mankiewicz's career went into high gear with back to back Oscars for A Letter To Three Wives and All About Eve, he did this crackerjack noir film about a war veteran with amnesia and a past he might not really want to remember. Borrowing heavily from The Maltese Falcon, Somewhere In The Night instead of a legendary bird has a very real and tangible two million dollars of smuggled Nazi loot that a Los Angeles private eye was handling and got lost.In the meantime on the strength of a letter written to him while in the service an amnesiac war veteran comes searching for his past in Los Angeles and finds himself in a lot of trouble he can't decipher. John Hodiak plays the troubled veteran and the only friend he has is nightclub singer Nancy Guild who sings in Richard Conte's nightclub.Hodiak sad to say is a pretty forgotten actor today. He came along during the war years and when folks like Gable and Taylor returned from the service he was kind of an MGM spare tire. I'm sure Darryl Zanuck got him on the cheap for this film at 20th Century Fox. Still Hodiak had an everyman appeal that resonated well with audiences. A shame he died so young of a heart attack, I believe it was a heart murmur that kept him out of the Armed Services in World War II.I wish we had seen a little more of Lloyd Nolan playing a laconic police detective. There's a man who never gave a bad performance even in mediocre films.Although I had it right partially in terms of a solution, Somewhere In The Night will still yield a few surprises to some in the viewing audience. And that's the mark of a good film.

John Hodiak (George Taylor) wakes up in a hospital with amnesia. He doesn't even know who he is and he spends the rest of the film trying to track down Larry Cravat who has left him some money. His journey takes him to a nightclub called "The Cellar" where he meets Nancy Guild (Christy) and they form an alliance. So where is the mysterious Mr Cravat.....? It is so bleeding obvious where Mr Cravat is. You should guess that part of the plot within the first 15 minutes. However, there are other twists and turns that keep you guessing and I didn't expect the final plot development. As for the story, it can get a little complicated so you need to just go along with it even though it is too long. The cast are fine - my favourite character being Lloyd Nolan's Police Lieutenant who has a way of letting people know that he pretty much knows everything already. He's like Peter Falk's "Columbo". Nancy Guild looks like a cross between Lauren Bacall and Ella Raines, and while many reviewers have given her a hard time about her acting (my girlfriend included), I thought she was fine. It's something about her mannerisms, smugness and trying to act older than she is which seems to annoy.The film starts with an overlong narration and there are dumb parts to the story, eg, why does Hodiak run out of the bank when he is asked to stay and have a quick word with the manager when he goes to cash his cheque from Larry Cravat. Surely, he would be only too pleased to speak to someone who may shed light on his past life or give him information about Larry Cravat. Another ludicrous concept that you have to accept is that Hodiak fell onto a bomb when it exploded. He looks pretty good to me. What a nonsense! However, there are a few moments that provide tension, eg, the episode at the asylum and the scene at the docks where Hodiak and Guild go in search of $2 million. There is also a moment that will make you jump when an attempt is made on Hodiak's life. You'll know the one I mean. That would have properly been game over! Overall, the film is a bit boring. Every scene, particularly at the beginning, takes ages and you'll get fed up with the name of Larry Cravat. Sadly, John Hodiak died unexpectedly while having a shave 9 years after this film was made at the age of 41.

The film begins with John Hodiak in a military hospital. It seems he's had a horrific injury while serving in WWII. The wound is so bad that he has no recollection who he is--which is strange, as he hasn't got a single scar throughout the film! This seemed sloppy--a couple nice big scars on his head would have been appropriate and made the film seem less contrived. This is exactly the sort of injury that happens in movies--not in real life. Armed only with a few tiny bits and pieces on him, he tracks down who he might be once he's discharged.It's obvious early on that who Hodiak is and who is old 'friends' were is pretty bad--as the trail leads him to thugs and creeps galore. And, on top of that, people start making attempts on his life and beat the crap out of him! Now you'd think that in a situation like this, he'd either give up his search OR he'd get the police involved. After all, with no memory, he's just blindly walking into one dangerous situation after another! Herein lies the problem--with him running about like a proverbial bull in a china chop, he should have been killed early on in the film. But because he ultimately is able to unravel the mystery, it all seems very contrived and totally unbelievable.Despite a good cast and Joseph L. Mankiewicz co-writing and directing, it's only a so-so film. There were a few decent story elements (such as the film noir look and some of the acting). However, you might expect more, as in the late 40s and early 50s, Mankiewicz was perhaps THE preeminent film maker--with such wonderful credits as "A Letter to Three Wives" and "All About Eve" to his credits. This film simply doesn't show the Mankiewicz brilliance--plus this sort of idea has been done better (such as with Edmond O'Brien in "Man in the Dark").It's odd. After looking at the reviews, I noticed that what people thought was all over the place--many hated it, many thought is was brilliant. I thought it was neither.By the way, was it just me or was Richard Conte's move to disarm the lady with the gun near the end of the film a bit hard to believe?!

A war hero suffering from amnesia tries to figure out who he is. It gets off to an intriguing start, but soon runs out of steam and becomes much too muddled before reaching a predictable ending. Dour-faced Hodiak gives a one-note performance, lacking the looks and charisma to carry a film. Guild, making her film debut, is charming as a nightclub singer who inexplicably falls in love with Hodiak. There are good performances from Nolan and Conte; the latter would have been a more interesting choice for the lead role. Mankiewicz's screenplay includes some good lines but the plot is convoluted and confusing. He fares better in the director's chair, creating a solid film noir look.