Good start, but then it gets ruined

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I was a young teenager when this film came out. I couldn't recognize a set from the real outdoors and, of course, knew nothing about plot and character development, pacing, conflict resolution, etc. But now, viewing it with a more critical eye I can see its weaknesses. Still I need to make one comment. In the film there is a romantic interlude that takes place at night on the beach. It culminates in a long, lingering kiss. For some reason the technicians, especially the lighting technicians, took a great deal of time setting up the scene. The amount of time and effort even became part of what little lore remains about the picture. Well, to a young, impressionable lad, that was my first sense of the warmth of romance in films. Before this, my only interest were comedies and adventures. Now I sensed their potential for romance--and I liked it.

"Night Unto Night" is by no means outstanding, but is not the bottom of the barrel effort that some reviewers have claimed. It is a serious attempt to portray two serious personal problems.The first is the difficult task of coming to grips with the death of a spouse; the husband of Vivica Lindfors' character has been killed in the war (WWII). The second is having to face a serious medical condition; Reagan's character, a scientist, suffers from epilepsy.The pace of the film is, to say the least, leisurely. The climax, which comes during a Florida hurricane, finally provides a bit of action. The acting is good throughout. Reagan's performance is competent if not outstanding. Vivica Lindfors and Broderick Crawford are better.The attitude toward epilepsy was somewhat different in 1949 from what it is today, and one sees that portrayed in this film. (I believe that the symptoms displayed by Reagan's character are not accurate.) "Night Unto Night" was produced with the best of intentions, but the final product does not live up to expectations. It is, however, worth at least one viewing.

"Night Unto Night" - really don't understand what the title has to do with the plot, but it sounds nice. Director Siegel does what he can with a very weak script from Kathryn Scola...she must have a writer who helped doctor other scripts. The movie was not long enough to really get such a heavy plot off the ground. Yet, I enjoyed it, after watching "Kings Row" preceding it.......one of TCM's all-day-all-night "tributes" to Ronald Reagan ("John Galen"). "Kings Row" was far better, because Reagan was much younger for that role. Still handsome for "Night," the couple of scenes in which he had a happy demeanor were not strong enough to convince us that his helping a lovelorn lady back to happiness were enough.Viveca Lindfors ("Ann Gracy") was very good in the movie. None of the other commentors mentioned the age-old cure for ALL love-problems is that itself: love. She found it quickly for "Galen", but Reagan didn't have the ability to portray his morbidity and suicidal intentions, although he was in love with her. The house he rented - in which she heard her dead husband's voice, at the beginning - would make almost anyone with neurotic problems quickly descend into deep funk.It didn't help any with nasty vamp Osa Massen ("Lisa") throwing herself at "John", especially she being "Ann's" sister. I liked Broderick Crawford ("C Shawn") as a neighbor-painter; Rosemary DeCamp ("Thalia Shawn") was her usual, complete character. Art Baker ("Dr. Poole"), was on the scene to help "John" with his illness (epilepsy); his role was well-played.The moody cinematography was very appropriate for this intended-to-be dark story....the tale just didn't get dark enough. With what we know now about hurricanes (Southerners have known about them forever), they don't just blow-up all-of-a-sudden. With all the characters - even the kids - assembled for a dinner party, the storm battered the old house right on the seashore. It was also during the storm which "Ann" gives her life-saving love-plea, and "Night Unto Night" quickly ends with the lovers in each others arms. Both cured, I guess....not good, not bad.....gives an older person an indication of Reagan's descent from a robust President of The USA, in real life, into total dotage. Sad.....

The story is kind of a muddle and doesn't always make sense: Both Ronald Reagan and Viveca Lindfors are damaged, brooding people. She's obsessed with her dead husband. He has epilepsy and thinks his life will end soon. But they fall in love -- and somehow must overcome their personal problems to find happiness. Her 'turn' to the good side really is contrived, with no reason behind it. His is almost as bad. Plus Reagan is totally miscast and comes across as about as emotional as a block of driftwood. Lindfors, Osa Massen and Broderick Crawford all try hard. But the man who tries the hardest is director Don Siegel. He dismisses this movie in his autobiography (though he later romanced leading lady Lindfors) but he works his butt off on it with constantly interesting camera moves and shot compositions -- some amazing dolly-work and beautiful black-and-white cinematography. So I'm giving this high marks because Siegel makes it seem so much better than it actually is. And that's the mark of a first-rate director.