The original theatrical trailer for "The Wagons Roll at Night" compares it favorably to Humphrey Bogart's prior two releases, "They Drive By Night" and "High Sierra"; in it, Bogie finds himself in a non traditional role as the hard driving owner of "Coaster's Combined Circus and Carnival". His character is Nick Coaster, a con man in his own right, always looking for the angle that will make his circus a top attraction. As his alcoholic lion tamer Hoffman the Great (Sig Ruman) becomes increasingly unreliable, the chance escape of Caesar the Lion results in his being subdued by a local grocery clerk, Matt Varney (Eddie Albert). Sensing the excitement that a home town hero would bring to his operation, Nick whets Varney's appetite for fame under the Big Top as his next major attraction.
Eddie Albert brings all the laid back corn pone demeanor to a role that would be a fitting rehearsal for his future "Green Acres" character. However "Varney of the Lions" hits a brick wall when he meets and falls in love with Nick's sister Mary (Joan Leslie); she's all starry eyed and hungry for romance, fresh from graduation yet stuck on Nick's country farm. Nick has always been protective of his sister, and wants to shelter her from the "road show vermin" that work for him. This Nick Coaster is not a nice guy, and his plan to take Matt out of the picture sinks him to a new level.
Rounding out the main cast is Sylvia Sidney as Nick's erstwhile girl friend and circus psychic, Madame Florina. Also smitten by Varney, she does the honorable thing and steps aside, as Matt confides his feelings for Mary to her - "Can you imagine anyone being in love with me?" For her part, Joan Leslie as Mary portrays the wide eyed innocence and goodness of the girl next door, who reminded me an awful lot of Judy Garland's Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz". Leslie looks like she could have been a natural for that role as well.
If nothing else, the film is memorable as one of the few in which Bogie's character cashes in his chips at the end. Coming to his senses at the provocation of Flo and Mary, Nick enters the circus cage that would have been Matt's death trap while facing down the killer Caesar. It's a moment of redemption for a con artist, who even at death's door is getting ready for his next gig - "I wonder if they can use a smart promoter where I'm going'?"
Eddie Albert brings all the laid back corn pone demeanor to a role that would be a fitting rehearsal for his future "Green Acres" character. However "Varney of the Lions" hits a brick wall when he meets and falls in love with Nick's sister Mary (Joan Leslie); she's all starry eyed and hungry for romance, fresh from graduation yet stuck on Nick's country farm. Nick has always been protective of his sister, and wants to shelter her from the "road show vermin" that work for him. This Nick Coaster is not a nice guy, and his plan to take Matt out of the picture sinks him to a new level.
Rounding out the main cast is Sylvia Sidney as Nick's erstwhile girl friend and circus psychic, Madame Florina. Also smitten by Varney, she does the honorable thing and steps aside, as Matt confides his feelings for Mary to her - "Can you imagine anyone being in love with me?" For her part, Joan Leslie as Mary portrays the wide eyed innocence and goodness of the girl next door, who reminded me an awful lot of Judy Garland's Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz". Leslie looks like she could have been a natural for that role as well.
If nothing else, the film is memorable as one of the few in which Bogie's character cashes in his chips at the end. Coming to his senses at the provocation of Flo and Mary, Nick enters the circus cage that would have been Matt's death trap while facing down the killer Caesar. It's a moment of redemption for a con artist, who even at death's door is getting ready for his next gig - "I wonder if they can use a smart promoter where I'm going'?"