When I saw this movie I had never heard of Robert Montgomery. After seeing it, he instantly joined Robert Mitchum, Lee Marvin, Gene Kelly, Lon Chaney (Sr), and Beverly Garland on the short list of actors whose movies i will watch simply because they are in them. I recently also found out about R. Montgomery's work as a director, which I look forward to seeing as soon as TCM airs some of it. Now to the movie, I've only seen it once, so I don't know how qualified I am to speak on it, but I do know that Robert Montgomery's performance as a psychotic killer is one of the all time greats in the category, certainly the equal in its sinister qualities to the better performances along these lines of actors like Lon Chaney, Robert Ryan, and Anthony Hopkins. This movie should be watched and I guarantee you will be surprised it is like no other film of the 30s and like no other film since. It is full of cheezy melodramatic moments but also has some really chilling moments of fear. Don't miss it!
Review of Night Must Fall
Night Must Fall
(1937)
Robert Montgomery's great performance illuminates film
9 May 2001
Warning: Spoilers