Thanks for the memories!

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Between Midnight and Dawn is directed by Gordon Douglas and adapted to screenplay by Eugene Ling from a story by Gerald Drayson Adams and Leo Katcher. It stars Edmond O'Brien, Mark Stevens, Gale Storm, Donald Buka and Gale Robbins. Music is by George Duning and cinematography by George E. Diskant. Stevens and O'Brien play two prowl car cops, long time friends who fall for the same woman (Storm), but that could never come between them. That's the job of rising crime boss Ritchie Garris (Buka)... On the page it looked as if it easily could have got bogged down by romantic threads and buddy buddy cop formula. Thankfully that isn't the case. Finding its way into a number of film noir publications, it's a pic that only just qualifies on account of certain narrative thematics and the night time photography of the always excellent Diskant. On its own terms anyway it's a damn good policer, one that is handled with knowing direction from Douglas and features the reassuring presences of Stevens and O'Brien, both of whom play cops with different attitudes to the job, but both believable and never played as trite good cop bad cop fodder. In the lady corner are Storm and Robbins, the former in the middle of our twin testosterone fuelled coppers, and the latter the gangster's moll. Both sultry and beautiful - even if Storm is sporting a hairstyle that equally is both distracting for the character and does her obvious sexiness no favours, but both the gals are written with thought and performed as such. Then there is Buka as scumbag Garris. This character clearly has ideas above his station, something which our coppers gleefully like to remind him of. But Garris is a nasty piece of work, which ultimately leads us to a thrilling and suspenseful finale. Buka (The Street with No Name) really should have had a bigger noir/crime film career. Sometimes funny and laced with choice dialogue, this still also manages to impact with dramatic, suspenseful and attention grabbing scenes. This a film that's easy to recommend to lovers of 40s/50s policer movies; it's also pretty bloody for the time. There's a great crew behind this and they don't let anyone down. 7/10

No need to recap the plot.The opening scenes suggest this will be a tough-minded buddy picture, with the great Eddie O'Brien and a good-natured Mark Stevens playing the two prowl car cops. Fortunately, this buddy part is convincing. Add some jarring action scenes from much underrated Director Gordon Douglas, and there's considerable to recommend. Trouble is the later romantic parts shift the mood into none-to-convincing light-hearted comedy. To me, the shifts are noticeable, weakening the movie as a whole. Plus, I'm inclined to think Gale Storm is miscast as a police dispatcher, much too malt shop and glowing. Maybe it's the My Little Margie factor, for which she was perfect. Nonetheless, there are a number of nice touches, such as the funny looking little boy, some good snappy lines, along with songbird Gale Robbins to add atmosphere. All in all, the 90-minutes doesn't fit easily into any category. It's mostly a crime drama, yet lacks the moral ambiguity of true noir. Still, any chance to catch Eddie O'Brien, one of Hollywood's best actors, makes the movie worthwhile, along with the great action scenes.(In passing—can't help noticing the similarity of this 1950 screenplay to 1952's The Turning Point. And that's down to even O'Brien as the luckier of the two buddies, William Holden being the other buddy. I wonder: could it be that Hollywood would actually recycle a plot just two years later—then again, do mosquitoes bite.)

***SPOILERS*** One of the first films that depicts police partners has squad car Officers Rocky Barnes & Dan Purvis, Mark Stevens & Edmond O'Brian,and the problems that's involved in their both private and professional lives. The movie also has the cute and talented singer, even though she doesn't sing a note throughout the entire film, a pre-"My Little Margie" Gale Storm as police dispatcher Kate Mallory who's dad a police officer was killed in the line of duty five years ago. It's Kate who gets between the two police partners and eventually ends up marrying one of them.It's both Barnes & Purvis' attempts to put part-time night club manager Ritchie Garris,Donald Buka,behind bars that in the end turns out to be deadly for them. In the two not realizing what a outright and maniacal psycho the guy really is. It in fact was out of town hood Leo Cusick, Ronald Winters, who set the deranged Garris off by muscling into his territory that started an all out gang war with Cusick ending up getting the worst of it.Captured in a wild car chase by both Barnes & Purvis Garris is convicted and given the death penalty for the murder of Leo Cusick but as we soon see that he has other plans. Escaping from the prison infirmary Garris sets his sights, or gun sights, on both Barnes & Purvis who had him put away. Gunning down Barnes who had since married Kate Mallory Garris ends up hold up in his girlfriend nightclub singer Terry Romaine's, Gale Robbins, apartment together with the supernatant's 9 year old daughter Kathy, Lora Lee Michael, held as a hostage.**SPOILERS*** Adrenaline driven final sequence with Purvis busting into Terry's fifth floor apartment. from the window ledge, with a teargas canister and having it out with the by now totally crazed and murderous Ritchie Garris. It was in fact Terry whom Purvis slapped around earlier in the film who ended up saving his neck by taking not one but three slugs meant for him by Garris. As for Garris he ends up getting blasted by Purvis and ironically as he falls down a flight of stairs he leaves his hand print on the wall covered with blood! That obviously meant to be, by the films director, all the blood that Garris had on his hands in the life of crime that he lead.P.S Actor Donald Buka as the psychotic hood Ritchie Garris made a name for himself two years earlier as the snarling knife wielding psycho Shivvy in the movie "The Street with no Name" which incidentally also starred Mark Stevens as an undercover FBI Agent.

Like a previous reviewer, I also like Gale Storm. I can still remember the theme music to her early TV show "The Gale Storm Show". Years later when I saw some of her older films I was struck by how pretty she was as well as being a terrific singer. Even in a Frankie Darro movie ("Let's Go Collegiate" I think) where she only tagged along, she really stood out, especially when she sang. Just imagine if she had been with MGM in some of those heady musicals with grade A productions as well as being surrounded by big stars, she would have really reached the top. But unfortunately she was trapped at Monogram and by the end of the 40s when she was starting to get a few interesting dramatic roles television beckoned. The star of this movie, Edmond O'Brien, was also terribly under-rated, in my opinion - it was his "ordinary guy" looks and lack of artifice in a decade of pretty boys (Robert Taylor, Tyrone Power) that probably kept him from stardom.It was films like this one that set the high moralistic tone that was followed by TV shows such as "Dragnet", "Lock Up" and "Racket Squad". "Between Midnight and Dawn" attempted a very realistic portrayal of patrol men on the beat and their private lives, complete with the banter and wisecracks that in their stressful work environment they couldn't survive without (they called each other the "gruesome twosome"!!). Barnes (Mark Stevens) and Purvis (O'Brien) are a pair of "prowl car" cops who work the midnight to dawn shift. Barnes still has his humanity but Purvis is hardened, especially when it comes to "low dirty dames" who are involved with the scum of the street!!! A young girl caught up in a burglary gets no sympathy from hard hearted Purvis. His philosophy is that in a year's time she won't be so innocent!!! Barnes is shocked at his partner's attitude. One thing they both agree on is the honeyed tones of the girl on the switchboard - a girl they have never seen!! Kate turns out to be just as beautiful as she sounds (how could she help it, being Gale Storm)!! and she is also the daughter of a policeman slain in the line of duty. That means initially she is firm in her resolve not to date policemen but of course she is talked around. I felt at first she was drawn to Purvis, but his steely and rough approach especially during a scene where he slaps singer Terry (Gale Robbins) silly to get her to talk, really shocks Kate. Of course with Edmond O'Brien at hand, she is not really going to end up with Barnes. He is neatly disposed of about 3/4 of the way through. Purvis then has about half an hour to find his sensitive side which he does, in a shootout involving a small child and Terry, whose actions cause him to have a major rethink about his attitude and his approach to his work!!I would really recommend this terrific little movie, could it have been one of the first films to show the unglamorous policing of "prowl car" men?? And also the pity that Edmond O'Brien didn't get the acting kudos he so richly deserved!!