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The Midnight Story
The Midnight Story
	1957 film poster by Reynold Brown
Directed by	Joseph Pevney
Screenplay by	John Robinson; Edwin Blum
Story by	Edwin Blum
Produced by	Robert Arthur
Starring	Tony Curtis; Marisa Pavan; Gilbert Roland
Cinematography	Russell Metty
Edited by	Ted J. Kent
Color process	Black and white
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	June 4, 1957;
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Midnight Story is a 1957 American CinemaScope film noir crime film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Tony Curtis, Marisa Pavan and Gilbert Roland. The film was originally slated to be titled The Eyes of Father Tomasino, after the 1955 Lux Video Theatre TV episode it was based on.^[1]^[2]

Plot

Father Tomasino is stabbed to death. San Francisco traffic cop Joe Martini felt the priest was like an actual father to him. He speaks to homicide Lieutenant Kilrain about his hunch that restaurant owner Sylvio Malatesta could be involved and asks to assist with the investigation. His request is refused, so he quits the force in order to look into Malatesta on his own.

Sylvio and his family warmly welcome Joe into their home. He hides his police past from them. He falls in love with a cousin, Anna.

Something is troubling Sylvio, but the family believes he still misses a sweetheart killed in Italy during the war. He has an alibi for the night of the priest's murder, but Sergeant Gillen, who is sympathetic to Joe, gets word to him that the alibi is a fake.

In a ploy to encourage Sylvio to confide in him, Joe pretends that he is a suspect in the murder. Sylvio breaks down and admits to having killed his own sweetheart. Joe deduces the rest. The two men engage in a vicious punch-up. Sylvio subsequently runs into the street and is struck by a vehicle.

Just before he dies, he begs for Joe's forgiveness. Sylvio had confessed the murder to Father Tomasino, who insisted he go to the police. Sylvio felt he could never do this and the anguish and guilt tormented him until he snapped and killed the priest.

Cast

Tony Curtis as Joe Martini
Marisa Pavan as Anna Malatesta
Gilbert Roland as Sylvio Malatesta
Jay C. Flippen as Sergeant Jack Gillen
Argentina Brunetti as Mama Malatesta
Ted de Corsia as Lieutenant Kilrain
Richard Monda as "Peanuts" Malatesta
Kathleen Freeman as Rosa Cuneo
Herb Vigran as Charlie Cuneo (as Herburt Vigran)
Peggy Maley as Veda Pinelli
John Cliff as Father Giuseppe
Russ Conway as Det. Sgt. Sommers
Chico Vejar as Frankie Pellatrini
Tito Vuolo as Grocer
Helen Wallace as Mother Catherine
James Hyland as Frank Wilkins

Production

The film was shot on location in San Francisco in August 1956.^[3]^[1] At Tony Curtis's request, the shoot followed a "French" shooting schedule, whereby filming would begin at noon and run continuously until 7 p.m.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "Bay Area Film Sites Eyed by Director". The Oakland Tribune. 20 Jul 1956. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
^ O'Brien, Jack (9 Sep 1955). "On the Air". The Sandusky Register. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
^ "Relaxing". The Oakland Tribune. 22 Jun 1957. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
^ Thomas, Bob (6 Aug 1956). "Actors Praise French Movie-Making Method". The Odessa American. Retrieved 2019-06-04.