Tonight's Movie: Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Two of my very favorite film festival screenings of 2013 were REPEAT PERFORMANCE (1947) and NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES (1948).

The movies, which were originally released within roughly 18 months of each other, share otherworldly stories and themes regarding what might be called "second chances." Both films were long missing from home viewing; as far as I know neither was ever released on either VHS or DVD. And amazingly, both films are being released on Blu-ray within weeks of one another!

NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES came out from Kino Lorber's Studio Classics line in November, and REPEAT PERFORMANCE is scheduled for a Flicker Alley release this week. (Update: Flicker Alley has announced a slight delay for REPEAT PERFORMANCE, with the release now scheduled for February 1st.)  It's a great time to be a classic film fan with beautiful Blu-rays of movies like this now available for the first time!

I first became acquainted with NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES in 2011, thanks to a friend providing a "grey market" copy to watch. The movie really rose in my estimation when I saw it in 35mm at the 2013 Noir City Film Festival and then topped off that experience with a remarkable 35mm nitrate screening in 2017 at UCLA. I was thrilled to see the movie on a big screen once more just last October, at the 2021 Arthur Lyons Film Noir Fest.

Clearly it's a film which not only holds up to repeat viewings, it has become more special to me each time, thanks to the performances, the excellent script by Barre Lyndon and Jonathan Latimer, and the stunning black and white photography of John F. Seitz. (The script was based on a story by Cornell Woolrich, whose works provided an impressive list of noir inspiration in the '40s.) John Farrow directed this spellbinding 81 minutes, scored by the great Victor Young.

Edward G. Robinson plays John Triton, who once had a vaudeville act as a clairvoyant, only to suddenly find that his "visions" weren't just a clever entertainment routine -- they were actually coming true.

Triton's visions allow his partner Whitney (Jerome Cowan) to make financial investments which will secure their future, but Triton becomes distraught when he is powerless to prevent tragedies he foresees. He disappears and becomes a recluse, leaving behind his love Jenny (Virginia Bruce), who eventually marries Whitney.

Triton only reappears after many years to attempt to save the life of Whitney and Jenny's grown daughter, Jean (Gail Russell). I'll leave off describing any more of the plot, which I think is best discovered while watching this very unusual, moving film.

The performances of the entire cast, in roles large and small, make the viewer willing to suspend disbelief and "buy in" to the story. Robinson is excellent, and the ethereal Russell makes a perfect Jean. The underrated John Lund plays Jean's steadfast fiance, who supports her throughout a very strange experience.

William Demarest, playing the skeptical police detective, stands in for the audience questioning Triton's story and provides a nice light touch in an otherwise moody film.

The cast also includes John Alexander, Roman Bohnen, Onslow Stevens, Richard Webb, and Douglas Spencer.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray print is lovely, showcasing the movie's deep, rich blacks. It's not completely perfect, but I was more than pleased, especially given how long the film has been unavailable.

Blu-ray extras are the trailer; a trailer gallery for five additional films available from Kino Lorber; and a commentary track by the excellent Imogen Sara Smith.

I put together a gallery of photos from the film when I saw it a few years ago; the pictures are all different from the illustrations seen here, and I invite readers to click over to that post for a look.

NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES is a special film which has become an all-time favorite. Most highly recommended.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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