Siegel ("Dirty Harry") directed his first feature, albeit a short using the Nativity and even A Christmas Carol as storytelling/aesthetic/thematic elements, and for some it will no doubt be as he described it: syrupy and oversentimental. The soft-spoken Donald Woods (William Castle's Thirteen Ghosts), an enigmatic, cherubic unnamed hitchhiker who stumbles on a small western town with an inn operated by a cynical, morose innkeeper named Nick Catapoli (the great--and deserved of re-evaluation of a career that proved quite impressive with roles such as this and Dr. Renauld's Secret & Beast with Five Fingers--J. Carrol Naish). Wood's hitchhiker requests kindly just a warm place to relax for a bit and perhaps a hot coffee. He realizes Nick is not exactly in the Christmas spirit, having seen a lot of mankind's toxic, negative side far too often. Nick set up a big star display with bulbs lighting it up so that travelers from miles would be drawn to the town, an expensive but seemingly successful lure, being that at his inn on this Christmas Eve it was all booked up eventually. While Woods works on the innkeeper, trying to convince him that mankind can prove to be right the opposite of what continues to remind Nick of why he's as miserable as he is-an angered customer gripes about his dress shirts being laundered poorly, an older couple arrive demanding blankets because their experiences at other lodges were cold and uncomfortable-a young couple arrive needing somewhere to rest as the wife, Maria (Mary) of the young man (Jose Santos (Joseph)) is pregnant. This couple (the Nativity aspect of the film) will have to be given rest in a "shed" (a barn similar to the manger scene those familiar with Jesus Christ's birth will recognize) with all the lodgers featured in the film (the complaining and demanding, difficult folk testing Nick's patience) rustling together to help Maria during the birth of her baby boy. Naish is obviously Scrooge, needing to realize as time continues that the spirit of Christmas is alive and well, as Woods serves as a mouthpiece for why he shouldn't be so derogatory and miserly. Naish, to his credit, gives us nuance and his work in 22 minutes isn't overtly or grossly melodramatic. Sure he points at guests constantly griping and dumping on him when they go elsewhere as evidence when Woods remains at the inn as a vocal spectator that what he says is true...but then when needed as Maria's child's birth looms near, all of these very customers prove that despite what has been visualized before they are willing to forgo their own individual wants and desires in favor of helping her. The shirts laundered poorly served as bandages and such. Nick's forthcoming, charitable wife-a direct opposite of him-is always supportive of her customers/guests, putting their best interests ahead. She's the one who corrals the guests into helping Maria, making sure Santos remains inside the café of the inn with Woods' hitchhiker and Nick who tends to the coffee and supplying of what might be needed (more or less so that Woods and Naish could discuss the Christmas developments eventually leading to a literal and ironically imitated Nativity scene). The three cowboys leaving a store with gifts purchased supposedly because of a pretty counter girl fit the "wise men" of the Nativity aspect of the film, later arriving at the inn in no small part due to Nick's lighted star set up to attract customers. It all comes together and Nick sees all of this develop up to the birth of Maria's child and how those surrounding her is eerily similar to a Nativity scene picture on his wall. Yes, this is a bit overt and in your face, but I guess it worked for me because I enjoyed the entire short film from beginning to end. This won't be for everyone. Even Siegel was a bit critical of it, but the cast and presentation personally won me over. If just because of Naish's effective "conversion" where he is able to see both the negative and positive sides of the same people (one customer balks about singing from a nearby room at the inn, keeping her awake and ruining her sleep due to an early rising awaiting her, but when needed to carry blankets and support she made herself available) during Christmas Eve. I didn't think, except maybe for the final image where Naish gets teary-eyed as he puts two-and-two together, it was much about turning a viewer Christian as allowing its main protagonist the chance to see humanity despite otherwise witnessing the absence of it. And I think previews of folks at their most irritable and self-absorbed, later revealing that they can put others ahead of themselves, is a message that resonates less and less today as it might have back then. Naish giving Woods his coat at the end as the hitcher goes on his way is a great final act of kindness that isn't necessarily as over the top as those in his inn's barn resembling closely the manger scene. I guess it will all depend on whether or not you consider the film's message just too much or substantive. As a Christmas film, I think it is a 22 minute gem. Beautifully photographed by Robert Burks with an emphasis on facial reactions and with Siegel's direction, capturing a lot of detail within a small set of locations.
Review of Star in the Night
