Customer Reviews

Night Nurse [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Barbara Stanwyck stars as a young nurse assigned to watch over two children inside a home where something is clearly amiss. The children are getting worse after making improvements during their hospital stay, the doctor (who never comes) is not treating them properly, and a violent chauffeur seems to be calling all the shots. Stanwyck decides to do something about it. This is a very odd film, with so many strange elements combined, yet it remains fascinating. Stanwyck gives her usual strong performance as the concerned nurse, and is well supported by Joan Blondell as her wisecracking nurse-friend, Ben Lyon as a bootlegger she becomes involved with, and Clark Gable as the menacing chauffeur. The medical practices and terminology are very strange (and amusing), the dialogue is daring, and it's remarkable the number of times Stanwyck and Blondell need to change their clothes on camera!! The action is also very tough, with Gable slugging Stanwyck, Stanwyck dragging around the girl's mother, and various people getting shot. The film's pre-Code origins are obvious. It may not be great cinema, but Night Nurse is one of those films you should see that were made when the Censors had far less control in Hollywood than they soon would. It's an eye-opener.

Clark Gable as a murderous chauffer? Starving children? Bootleggers? It all happened before the Hayes Code, and it's on display in 'Night Nurse.' This is a dark, sleazy sort of film, but it's entertaining to be sure.

Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Blondell play novice nurses entrusted with two rich, but neglected, little girls (Nanny, played by Marica Mae Jones, later appeared opposite Shirley Temple in 'Heidi' and 'The Little Princess.'). As Stanwyck desperately fights to save their lives, she runs into trouble with Gable and the children's drunkard mother. The camera does not flinch or cut away from the resultant brutal scenes. Nothing is glossed over in this film, and there is no easy ending.

One interesting side feature of the movie is the glimpse into early 1930's medicine. The conditions in the operating theatre would probably make any modern day doctor faint!

When you combine the pre code era of Hollywood film making, Warner Brothers Studios, and no nonsense star Barbara Stanwyck in the one package you really have a movie marriage made in heaven and that's just what you get in "Night Nurse". Here we have a rough, raw and no holds barred story about the dark side of the medical profession and the equally dark characters that inhabit it. Undeniably a product of its time (1931), this little movie pulls no punches in its stark depiction of medical malpractice, child abuse, bootlegging and violence towards women who "get out of line and ask too many questions". Unemcumbered by the later Hays Code restrictions on what was exceptable on screen from 1934, "Night Nurse" is wildly entertaining and manages to get away with many things on screen that would have been unthinkable 5 years later.

"Night Nurse", provided Barbara Stanwyck with one of her most vivid early roles and the image of the straight talking, no nonsense gal who could mix it with the tough guys was one which became forever associated with her in her screen work. Here she plays Lora Hart a dedicated young trainee nurse who strives to become good at her profession despite initial fainting spells during operations. Graduating from her studies she teams up with fellow nurse B Maloney (Joan Blondell) and after one late night too many getting back into the nurses quarters at the hospital both women find themselves assigned as night nurses to a Mrs. Ritchey who's two sick children Lora had nursed earlier in the hospital. Very soon after taking up her duties Lora begins to notice that things are not as they should be in the house as the two children are daily growing weaker and Mrs Ritchey is in a constant state of drunkenness and doesn't seem to be responsible for her own actions. Lora also cannot get any assistance from the families doctor who is never available and will not respond to any of Lora's protests about the childrens declining health. During her night sessions at the house Lora also makes the acquaintance of Mrs Richley's sadistic chauffeur Nick (a rising Clark Gable), who seems to call the shots with anything to do with the family and has a decidly hostile reaction to Lora's interference in any family matters. As the children grow weaker and are on the verge of starvation Lora decides to take action and asks for the assistance of her sometime beau bootlegger Mortie (Ben Lyon) who she once assisted with a gun shot wound at the hospital, and upright Dr. Bell (Charles Winninger) who she has check on the children's health. It is revealed the Nick and the family doctor have hatched a scheme to slowly starve the two children to death in order to be able to get their hands on a sizable trust fund that belongs to them. They have been keeping their mother Mrs. Ritchey constantly drunk so that Nick can marry her and take the inheritance off her. When Nick learns of Lora's interference he goes after her and in the fateful finale after having earlier socked Lora in the mouth thinking it would deter her finds himself on the receiving end of some of Mortie's rough boys who "arrange" a little accident to remove Nick from the scene. All ends on a hopefully upbeat manner with Lora firstly providing the donour blood to give the little girl a badly needed blood transfusion and then setting off to report the scheme to the police. Also because of his help Mortie finally gets his sweetheart and he and Lora hopefully begin a new life together.

"Night Nurse", has that pre code realistic feel to the proceedings despite its at times melodramatic story twists. Barbara Stanwyck dominates the proceedings as the essentailly kindly nurse who wont settle for leaving things as they are when she smells a rat. The supporting cast including Clark Gable in one of his very early thug roles is really top rate. Warners regular Joan Blondell is terrific as Lora's sassy fellow nurse and her gum chewing, sarcastic delivery is just perfect for this type of hard edged melodrama and was the kind of role she played in dozens of films over the 1930's decade. Blanche Frederici as the concerned housekeeper has an almost comical role in the serious proceedings especially when she is telling a threatening Nick that "you sure dont frighten me!" and especially when she gives her own unique solution to the children's near death from starvation "I wish you'd try a milk bath, it saved my sister's baby!". Ben Lyon does well in the likeable role of Mortie the bootlegger who despite his shady business has a heart of gold who will do anything for his sweetheart Lora, even resorting to rubbing out Nick if needed. His is a classic early 30's performance. Based on a racy early novel by Dora Macy, "Night Nurse", has that rough hewn, rugged look that makes it a perfect Warner Brothers production. Directed at lightening speed by William Wellman who was resonsible for the classic "A Star is Born", in 1937, the film tells its story in a crisp, no frills manner. The real power in this story comes in the scenes between Stanwyck and Gable. Their chemistry here despite not being romantically paired in the story is electric and quite brutal in its physical force and it's a pity the two only worked together once more in the average "To Please a Lady".

"Night Nurse", is a fun excursion into the far off world of sly grog, bootleggers and "dames" that could deliver the goods just as well as any man. With its cleaning up of Hollywood's moral standards from 1934, the Hays Code effectively made these types of films an extinct species more the pity. Over the top and dated "Night Nurse", certainly is but it still manages to make many pertinent points about the medical profession. Human nature in general also is given a harsh no frills examination here and thats what makes films like "Night Nurse", such interesting viewing today. If you like Barbara Stanwyck in her most street smart roles where she fears no man then you are sure to enjoy "Night Nurse". Highly recommended viewer for film buffs.

NIGHT NURSE was one of the last movies to come out of Hollywood that were untouched by the politically correct morality of the day: the Hays Code. Too many stuffed shirts were troubled by the exactly the same power and electricity that infused films like NIGHT NURSE. Director William Wellman shows the sleazy underside of a medical profession that has not changed materially since 1932. Far too many doctors were in it only for the big bucks while the true blue torchcarriers of Hippocrates were the nurses. Barbara Stanwyck is Delores Hart who works hard to finish nursing school and is simply bursting with youthful enthusiasm to heal the sick. As you see Stanwyck brush up against and battle the entrenched medical Powers That Be, you can see the early vibrant Stanwyck who filled her roles with a gusto that has not been equalled since. Joan Blondell is Maloney, her wisecracking platinum blond nurse buddy who spends a surprising amount of time with Stanwyck undressing. Almost certainly it was the abundance of female flesh that contributed to the revival of a Hollywood puritanism. The plot is straight out of a grade B script. A determined Stanwyck suspects that two children in her care are being ruthlessly starved to death so her heartless mother can collect from their trust fund. Clark Gable as Nick the chauffeur has one of his early roles as a degenerate cad who actually pops Stanwyck right in the snoot.

NIGHT NURSE is full of the promise of fun, adventure, drama, and characters worth booing and hissing that marked many of the pre-Code films. In this case, director Wellman and cast deliver on these promises in such a way that you don't even notice that this film is more than 70 years old. True style and talent have a habit of not going out of style.

This is something of an antique, but yet another vintage Pre-Coder. Barbara Stanwyck and her nursing school friend Joan Blondell seem to be forever removing their clothes down to their skivvies while learning about babies and surgery before earning their pins and taking up private duty work. That leads them to a shameful place where a rich lady is doped up by her scheming evil chauffeur Nick, played darkly by young unmoustached Clark Gable. The object of the scheme is to kill off the sick little children of the hophead and I guess marry her to gain control of her considerable fortune. But Nick hasn't bargained on a tough streetsmart nurse like Barbara to save the day, along with her bootlegger beau. Quite a bouncy little ride, you'll see!

Great Movie. I love this movie. I wish there was more, that's why I gave it a 4. They should of showed what ended up happening to the mother, or what happened to the kids? But that's Hollywood, they keep you wondering and that's made the audience come back for more. People really got into the movies back then, they really felt the characters and related to some of them. Movies back then made people cry, laugh, dance, and sing. This film will put you on the edge of your chair. This is one of those melodrama/film-noir movies. Joan Blondell and Barbara Stanwyck does a good job together. Joan Blondell is her sassy, fiesty, sexy self as usual, she's so fun to watch, she can be funny or dramatic. Barbara Stanwyck is always worth a watch. I think she did better acting in her early like these then her later films. Check this one out, especially if you love early Hollywood, (and check out this film if you wanna see a young beginner Clark Gable, he was okay, but he would get better in years to come)
Early Hollywood films were better I think because in the early years, they wanted movies to be more realistic, but when Hollywood saw that the films were getting to people, that people didn't want to see what they see everyday or read in the news, they stopped making so many films like that, and started having happy-endings and more love scenes.

Night Nurse is a gripping, taut drama starring the great Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Blondell and a rather young Clark Gable. The convincing acting always held my attention and the plot moves along at a good pace.

The action begins when Lora Hart (Barbara Stanwyck) gets a job as a nurse trainee at a hospital--after she shows a little bit of her leg to Dr. Arthur Bell (Charles Winninger), that is. Lora soon meets and befriends another nurse trainee named B. Maloney (Joan Blondell).

One night during Lora's internship she treats a bootlegger for a bullet wound and out of kindness she lets him go without filing a police report. He's mighty grateful to her and promises they'll be "pals" from there on in.

After Lora and Maloney graduate nursing school they get jobs being private nurses for two very sick little girls in a rather wealthy household. Lora, the night nurse, soon suspects that the girls are being malnourished so that they will literally die of starvation. Things heat up further when she meets Nick, the chauffeur (Clark Gable), and the doctor assigned to the case, Dr. Ranger (Ralf Harolde).

Yes, Lora suspects that the children are being slowly but surely murdered--but is she correct? Why would anyone want these two adorable little girls to be murdered? What could happen to Lora is she speaks out about the problem? How will the bottlegger figure into the action? No spoilers here, folks, you'll just have to watch the movie to find out!

The choreography works well in the hospital scenes; and I liked the cinematography as well.

Overall, Night Nurse is an excellent pre-Code film that deals with the darker side of the human experience. Fans of Barbara Stanwyck will be delighted to see her act so well in one of her earliest films; and Joan Blondell fans will like this one, too. Look also for a fine performance from the great Clark Gable.

Night Nurse has most of the elements that so distingush the pre-code melodrama. Lurid topics such as child abuse, drunkedness, pre-marital sex, greed and dishonesty can all be found here. I found this film very entertaining and very watchable. The plot moves quickly so the film is never boring. Miss Stanwyck and Miss Blondell find several reasons to disrobe during the film making this a delight for the eyes. Clark Gable, in an early supporting role, adds real menace to the part of villian. I think that pre-code film fans will be impressed and will enjoy this movie.

They just don't come much more entertaining than this one! Barbara Stanwyck is the title character who must somehow, against the odds, save two small children from the clutches of the murdering chauffeur, Nick, played to perfection by none other than Clark Gable! The children's mother is constantly kept drunk/high by Nick, who hopes to get his evil clutches on their substancial trust fund. Joan Blondell plays a supporting role as Stanwyck's wisecracking nursing friend. Stanwyck's bootlegger boyfriend helps save the day! If you ever wondered why the production code was put into effect, see this movie

Warner Bros. Pictures presents "NIGHT NURSE" (1931) (72 min/B&W) -- Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Ben Lyon, Joan Blondell, Clark Gable, Blanche Friderici, Charlotte Merriam, Charles Winninger

Directed by Clarence Brown

Lora Hart (Barbara Stanwyck) works hard to qualify as a nurse, after which she is sent on assignment to a large house where two young children seem to be wasting away. Amidst the bootleggers and flappers, Lora decides something is seriously wrong. Luckily she has met Mortie (Ben Lyon) who, though involved in some pretty shady deals himself, is only too ready to help.

The cast and tough direction in storytelling keeps you glued to your chair. This is vintage Stanwyck at her best. And due to the frankness of director Wellman, he gives the film the shot in the arm it needs.

Stanwyck & Blondell are viewed in their lingerie as often as possible. Stanwyck must suffer some mighty rough handling from various villains in the movie. Capping it all off, Barbara exits the film with her new boyfriend, an unrepentant & unpunished crook involved in everything from thievery to murder, a situation certainly not allowed just a few years later.

Clark Gable was loaned out from MGM to play the murderous chauffeur and if he hadn't been discovered as a new kind of tough leading man, he would have had a grand career as a character actor playing all kinds of thugs who slug women. And slug Stanwyck he does, right on the kisser.

* Special Footnote: -- James Cagney was originally supposed to play Nick, but when The Public Enemy became a big hit, it was decided that he should no longer be relegated to supporting roles, allowing the relatively unknown Clark Gable to step in instead.

BIOS:
1. William A. Wellman [Director]
Date of Birth: 29 February 1896 - Brookline, Massachusetts
Date of Death: 9 December 1975 - Los Angeles, California

2. Barbara Stanwyck (aka: Ruby Catherine Stevens)
Date of Birth: 16 July 1907 - Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: 20 January 1990 - Santa Monica, California

3. Ben Lyon
Date of Birth: 6 February 1901 - Atlanta, Georgia
Date of Death: 22 March 1979 - aboard a cruise ship passing Honolulu, Hawaii

4. Joan Blondell {aka: Rose Joan Blondell]
Date of Birth: 30 August 1906 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 25 December 1979 - Santa Monica, California

5. Clark Gable
Date of birth: 1 February 1901 - Cadiz, Ohio,
Date of death: 16 November 1960 - Los Angeles, California

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 4 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 72 min on VHS ~ Warner Bros. Pictures ~ (September 1, 1998)