Murder who? Good question. Hopefully he murdered the Linda Darnell character. Sure, she's beautiful but oh, is she annoying! Just murder her and get it over with. Oh, please...let her be the one who was murdered. That is, if anyone is going to be murdered. Yep, one of those Film Noir films where some schmuck wakes up with no memory of the night before. As the viewer, we so hope that he did murder someone...someone in particular in fact. Our feature today is 1952's "Night Without Sleep," directed by Roy Ward Baker.
Six years ago, Dick (Gary Merrill) was a successful Broadway composer. He falls in love with a wealthy woman who finances his play, Emily (June Vincent). They wed. Uh oh...alcohol rears its ugly head and Dick's career goes down the toilet. Emily must be like a mother to him now and Dick resents her. As the film begins, Dick wakes on his sofa from a drunken stupor with no memory of the night before. Remembering as much as he can, he deduces he murdered a dame. Which dame? Well, we can't expect guys like Dick to only have one. He quarrels with Emily. Then he remembers more. A party at his buddy's (Hugh Beaumont) home. There he sees Julie (Darnell), an actress. he falls in love with her and goes out with her. The two have a great time and Julie is so touched he noticed her. Julie has always been a fan of his and is sad to learn he no longer composes. She goes on and on about fantasy dreams she had about him falling in love with her.
Did he murder Julie? Wait, there's more. Because of romancing Julie, he is late for a date with his mistress, Lisa (Hildegard Knef). She's sultry and crying at dinner. She yells at him and back at her apartment, Dick gets mad and approaches her as if he is going to strangle her. Did he murder Lisa? Then Julie almost misses her boat, the Queen Mary is taking her to England. She comes to Dick's estate and further professes her love for him. Now, does he murder her? He murdered someone and he does not yet know who he murdered. Dick has murder in him, so his psychoanalyst (Donald Randolph) tells him. Dick is scared. Did he murder anyone? Will he murder anyone?
Will Julie make her cruise on the Queen Mary, or will Dick off her? Did Dick kill all the dames in his life? Is killing the annoying Julie, if it happens, a mere mercy killing (mercy for the viewing audience)? Linda Darnell is a lovely and talented actress, but I challenge you to watch this film and not desire her fiery demise. See "Night Without Sleep" and see who gets murdered and why.
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