As I watched this film I thought that "The Longest Night" was an incredibly short film, and indeed, it is apparently the shortest feature film MGM ever made. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining little murder mystery that's well worth a watch of under one hour.There is a problem here, however. The director and writers tried to make a film that was both a mystery AND a comedy. There are elements of both here, but it's a mix that doesn't quite work. They might better have made a mystery OR a comedy. There are fine comedy bits here, as well as fine dramatic moments, but they don't mesh.The performances, however, are quite good. Robert Young may be the only person in the film you readily know, and he is quite good here. And although you won't probably know many of the other actors is this B film, you'll recognize many of them. Two are worth mentioning, albeit in a negative sense. Did either Ted Healy (earlier associated with The Three Stooges") or Sidney Toler (of Charlie Chan fame) actually have any acting ability????? I guess this sounds like a negative review, although I don't mean it to be. This was an entertaining film...and a little different...and worth watching with a t.v. tray and dinner in front of the television. But just once.

Department store owner Robert Young (as Charles "Charley" Phelps Jr.) arrives to consider selling his asset, then stumbles upon a strangulation victim. He orders a lockdown and cooperates with lawmen Sidney Toler and Ted Healy. Connected to the victim is pretty Florence Rice (as Joan Sutton), who provides Mr. Young with romance. She is the sister of beautiful Julie Haydon (as Eve), who helps boyfriend Leslie Fenton (as Carl Briggs) rob a warehouse in the opening sequence. All are suspects, some are victims. "The Longest Night" is so short you don't have time to wonder who may be guilty.**** The Longest Night (10/2/36) Errol Taggart ~ Robert Young, Florence Rice, Sidney Toler, Julie Haydon

Robert Young is likable in the romantic thriller. Florence Rice is, too, as the worker in his father's store for whom he falls. A couple murders are committed. The police, including Sidney Toler, investigate. (Almost the whole thing takes place on the premises of the store.) During the period such B-movies in this very overworked genre usually are still turning up clues, this solves the mystery. Very unsatisfactorily, I might add.Julie Haydon plays Rice's sister. She is said to have been wonderful in the original stage production of "The Glass Menagerie." And she's fine here. But, though it has several plots going on at once, to a degree it's more short subject than full-length movie.

A nice short (55 min) "B" picture with a good cast of MGM stock players. Robert Young is pleasant and keeps this murder mystery in proper perspective.For me, the real highlight was seeing Sidney Tolar playing the police honcho who conducted the investigation. It's the only time that I have ever seen him in any role other than Charlie Chan. To hear him talk that tough New York police lingo without a Chinese accent was fun for me. If I had no other reason to watch this film, Tolar, alone, would be sufficient.Being of such short duration, the movie moves quickly. It's a good thing because (and I say this with reverence) this flick has "B" movie written all over it. Enjoy............