Customer Reviews

All Night Long (1962)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Interesting movie, relatively unknown here in the US, re-released and re-mastered to reflect the popularity of perhaps, its best-known star, Patrick McGoohan, better know for his role as John Drake in "Secret Agent" and the cult-favorite, "The Prisoner." Richard Attenborough, also a name very familiar to fans of British cinema, rounds out the rest of the cast featuring a who's who's of 60's popular jazz: Dave Brubeck, Johnny Scott, Johnny Dankworth, Tubby Hayes, and none other than the legendary Charles Mingus all in cameo roles.

The plot is a hip and cool reworking of Shakespeare's "Othello" amongst the jazz clubs and warehouses in London circa early 60's. McGoohan, the baddie, shines here as talented but a manipulative drummer, Johnny Cousin (shades of Iago) who attempts to draw a former, and newlywed jazz diva, Emily (Betsy Blair) out of retirement ultimately pitting her against her jealous husband, jazzman Aurelius Rex (Paul Harris).

BAFTA-award winning director, Basil Dearden, effectively adds a "noir" atmosphere to the film: tall warehouses reflected on the wet streets of 60's London's most popular clubs for the "in" set where the clink of glasses and spirited conversation prevail. By no-means a piece of celluoid art per se, but an engaging and interesting movie with well-developed convincing characterizations and some great jazz riffs to boot!

Set in a jazz-enthused contemporary (1961) London, "All Night Long" is a modern re-telling of "Othello," with a brilliant cast of professional actors (Richard Attenborough, Patrick McGoohan, Keith Michell) and jazz musicians (Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, John Dankworth, Tubby Hayes). While it was the feature presentation at a recent film noir festival at San Francisco's famed Roxie Theater, it doesn't feel like a true noir: The "cool" jazz atmosphere and intellectual (rather than physical) menace aren't true to the classic noir, especially the often under-appreciated "B" films that perhaps best define the genre.

We're invited to a first anniversary party for the interracial couple of Delia Lane (Marti Stevens) and Aurelius Rex (Paul Harris); the former a singer who left the jazz scene after marrying Aurelius, an urbane singer/bandleader/pianist who recalls Billy Eckstine. All seems well, until we learn that drummer/bandleader Johnny Cousins (McGoohan) will lose his financial backing unless he can lure Delia out of retirement and into his band. What better place to ruin a marriage than at an anniversary party! Add to this a psychiatrically-challended trumpet-player (wonderfully over-the-top Keith Michell) who can't handle his dope, the genial (though ultimately bland) hosting of an under-used Attenborough, and a few pasted-in (that is, not very well integrated) jazz numbers, and you have a disparate blend of ingredients heating to a flashpoint.

The acting is exceptional, especially McGoohan's smoldering evil and sexuality, and Paul Harris' descent from cool reason to mad jealousy and violence. McGoohan launches an elaborate plot of innuendo and deceit, culminating in an edited tape designed to portray Emily as cheating on her husband. Aurelius, despite his intelligence and initially unflappable cool, finally loses it, almost killing his wife and her alleged paramour, the trumpet player. Interestingly, no one is killed in this semi-film noir, and Cousins' punishment is the certain failure of his band, and abandonment by his jazz circle of friends (again, both literally--they melodramatically leave the party one by one--and figuratively, for he's clearly washed up).

There are some unintentionally funny moments, another hallmark of these "B" noirs: Mingus, arguably the greatest jazz bassist of all time, is replaced on several numbers by not one, but two bassists (!!), the hopped-up trumpeter, Dave Brubeck's somewhat awkward manner, the speedy London jazz slang (of somewhat questionable veracity), as well as some rain-soaked, high contrast black and white noirish cinematography.

However, except for Rex's mounting fury, we don't connect on a visceral level. It's too mechanical (both literally and figuratively), and may remind some of the cat-and-mouse intellectualism seen in "Columbo." Still, it's a fascinating period piece in a rare quasi-jazz setting, and the handsome, fiery McGoohan and Paul Harris are riveting.

Note: This DVD is probably not formatted for play in the United States--see the note by Amazon.com at top.

Well worth watching just for the Brubeck performance. Well, okay, the film is a bit stiff, with people saying, hey, look, it's so-and-so, everytime one of the jazz greats enter so the audience knows who is who. And I never thought McGoohan was much of an actor when he had to seem a bit undone by events. He could do stoic and cool with the best of them but not frazzled. And here he is meant to be frazzled the whole way. I suppose the film really is good for jazz freaks only, which includes me, and I would give it 5 stars, if only for the very hip atmosphere the film achieves, except nobody is putting the film out properly letterboxed, which is at least one star on my reckoning. Oh, and I spotted Carol White straight off, though she is uncredited in the film. All those jazz musicians and a pretty blonde girl who so liked drugs...those were the days.

THIS MOVIES STORYLINE WAS WELL DELIVERED AND TIMELESS.THEY RARELY SHOW IT ONTCM AND IT ISNT ON DVD. REGION 2 MEANING CAN'T PLAY ON THE PLAYERS I OWN.THE MUSIC BAND DAVE BRUBECKAND THE SETTING. THE CHARACTERS ALLL PLAYED WELL. I JUST LOVE THIS MOVIE!DANG WILL SOMEONE MAKE GET ME A COPY.

Man, I thought the scene was competitive here in Melbourne! This is fun - I wish there was more Tubby in it.

The Opening credits list this as A Rank Organisation, Bob Roberts Production. The movie is something in which Jazz buffs will be interested. It has a "Peter Gunn" feel throughout. In the forefront are some great Jazz riffs by such notables as Dave Brubeck, Charlie Mingus, Johnny Dankworth and Tubby Hayes. Richard Attenborough is listed and has a smallish role. Patrick McGoohan has a larger role and accomplishes this with a star turn. Keith Mitchell also has star power. Paul Harris is stellar, but the unsung heroes of this UK produced "Jazz thriller" based loosely on Othello are Brubeck and British trumpeter Bert Courtley. McGoohan closes the film with some pretty solid drumming, but we all know how that was done, yet he looks the part. It is taken straight from VHS to DVD with no digital improvements.