Clash by Night
Tags: sadist, melodrama

Plot synopsis:
Mae Doyle (Barbara Stanwyck) returns to her home town, the fishing village of Monterey, California after ten years "back East." Her fisherman brother Joe (Keith Andes) is not particularly pleased to see her, but accepts her back into the family home. His girlfriend Peggy (Marilyn Monroe) is more welcoming. When Joe asks Mae about the rich man she was seeing, she explains he was a married politician. He died and left her some money, but his wife and relatives took her to court and won.
Mae begins to date Jerry (Paul Douglas), a good-natured, unsophisticated fisherman with his own boat. Mae instantly despises Jerry's friend, Earl Pfeiffer (Robert Ryan), a bitter, dissatisfied film projectionist. Mae's politician lover had made her feel more confident in herself; in stark contrast, Earl has a low opinion of women in general and makes no attempt to hide it. His wife is a vaudeville performer who is away frequently on tour.
Earl, sensing a kindred restless spirit, is attracted to Mae right away. Jerry is oblivious to the tension between the two and soon asks Mae to marry him, despite her warning that she is not good for him. Mae decides to accept, even though she does not love or even respect her future husband, for the security and in the hope that she can change.
After having a baby girl with Jerry, Mae becomes bored and restless after a year. Earl, now divorced, makes a move on Mae. She resists at first, but then begins an affair with him. Jerry's uncle Vince (J. Carrol Naish), who bears a grudge against Mae, tells his disbelieving nephew. When Jerry confronts the couple, Mae admits that she wants to leave Jerry to be with Earl.
After a few drinks and prodded on by Vince, Jerry finds and starts strangling Earl, until Mae arrives and breaks up the fight. Jerry leaves, horrified at what almost happened. When Mae goes home to take her baby away, she finds the crib empty. Earl tries to coax Mae to leave with him anyway, without the baby, but this does not sit well with Mae. After trading bitter recriminations, she breaks up with him. Mae repents and convinces Jerry to take her back.

Review: In transposing a Clifford Odets play from New York to a Californian fishing community some of the more florid dialogue seems unnaturally heightened but the performances of the three principals (Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan and particularly Paul Douglas) are stunning and the emotional core of the film is so strong that an audience can feel bruised by what's on screen.
But it's a tribute to the acting skill of Stanwyck, Paul Douglas and Robert Ryan that their characters come alive with all their flaws and longings exposed.Barbara is excellent as a woman who returns to a fishing village after a long time away, a bitter, defeated woman still trying to find a niche for herself.
Andes breathes life into the role of Barbara's disgruntled brother and should have been groomed for stardom--he had the looks and appeal of a major star.A somewhat downbeat ending resolves the conflict--but along the way there are some very high-strung moments from Stanwyck that she plays to perfection.
Far from vintage Fritz Lang, but still enjoyable in its high-strung melodramatic antics, accentuated in a needlessly symbolic way by the raging of the sea and the clouding over of the sky.Tough girl Barbara Stanwyck returns to her hometown after ten years of being the mistress of a married man.
She meets and marries simple, goodhearted fisherman Paul Douglas, but is bored by ordinary married life: "Every day you get a little older, lonelier, stupider", and soon succumbs to her attraction to cynical, boozy movie projectionist Robert Ryan.The power of 'Clash by Night' lies not in its trite plot or in its overblown imagery, but in the no-nonsense acting of Stanwyck and Ryan, tough as nails but raw at the core.
They have an animal eroticism together between them that sparkles like fireworks, but they are also, alas, quite self-pitying.Many of the bit parts are surprisingly unsavory, but then we also get the young Marilyn Monroe as the naive young girl who hopes to marry Stanwyck's hunky brother, played by Keith Andes, more often than not strutting his naked torso..
Lang's role was to push them to that level recognition in themselves.Even the seemingly secondary characters like Stanwyck's brother and his girlfriend, the latter played surprisingly and delightfully by a young Marilyn Monroe, give strong performances.
It does have one of the great film noir directors in Fritz Lang and stars two of the genres foremost performers in Barbara Stanwyck(DOUBLE INDEMNITY) and Robert Ryan(The Set Up).
Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan and Marilyn Monore: wow, not a bad leading foursome of actors!
Douglas plays the simpleton good guy who gets shafted by his wife Stanwyck who has an affair with Ryan.Monroe and her boyfriend (played by Keith Andes) have a smaller role but are just as fascinating a couple, of not ore so than the leads.
story is full of usual cliches, but  stanwyck, paul douglas, robert ryan, and a young marilyn monroe: wow!!!
Mae is courted by Jerry D'Amato (Paul Douglas), a good and naive man that owns the boat where Joe works, and he introduces his brutal friend Earl Pfeiffer (Robert Ryan), who works as theater's projectionist and is cheated by his wife.
When the wife of Earl leaves him, he becomes depressed and Mae, who is bored with her loveless marriage, has an affair with him."Clash by Night" is an unpleasant drama with a bitter story and a moralist conclusion, actually a minor film of Master Fritz Lang in his career in Hollywood.
Despite several of the genre's quintessential elements (director Fritz Lang, director of photography Nicholas Musuraca, Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan), this is not a film noir in the strict sense of the word and, in fact, as was the case with DILLINGER (1945), it made for a rather baffling choice to be included in Warners' "Film Noir Collection Vol. 2"!
Actually, it's one of Lang's least typical films, though his beloved theme of Man being unable to escape his Fate does in fact play a major part in the proceedings.In any case, CLASH BY NIGHT remains full of interest throughout and the melodramatic flourishes of the (familiar) 'love triangle' plot - adapted from a stage play by Clifford Odets (hence the tendency to overstate its points from time to time) - seem to have inspired the cast and crew to give it their all: one simply can't ignore the excellent performances (including a wonderfully disarming turn from Marilyn Monroe, not yet a star) and the typically great, hard-boiled (if often, necessarily, theatrical) dialogue (my favorites are two lines delivered, in his uniquely contemptible fashion, by Ryan - having had enough of a tediously uneventful night-out at the local tavern, he exclaims: "Excuse me while I shake this dump upside down!"; and describing the failed relationship with his estranged wife with the delicious "Sometimes I'd like to stick her full of pins...just to see if blood runs out!").
Douglas's Jerry is not just a nice guy, he's a rub-your-nose-in-it Nice Guy. Similarly for Ryan's cynical Earl and Stanwyck's hard case Mae. Not even such first-rate performers as these can overcome the relentlessly overblown dialog or stagy sets.
For me there were several reasons for liking and disliking this movie: Pro: Stanwyck and Ryan are outstanding as usual, Marilyn Monroe pleasant and performing well enough, the dialogs are frequently sharp and revealing and Lang's directing make it almost feel noirish.
She was forty-four years old when Clash by Night was released, and in Old Hollywood, women of that age were playing matronly roles, not playing the sexy lead in a movie that also featured Marilyn Monroe!Barbara plays a hardened woman with a past who marries a small-town fisherman, Paul Douglas.
The only noir things about "Clash by Night" are its nonsensical title and some actors, notably Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan, who appeared in their fair share of films of that genre.No, "Clash by Night" is a character study of three people caught up in a romantic triangle.
Considering the film was directed by Fritz Lang and starred Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan and Paul Douglas, it should have been a better film.
Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan, Marilyn Monroe, and Keith Andes star in "Clash by Night," based on the play by Clifford Odets that flopped on Broadway.
She was 45 at the time of thee filming and obviously playing someone a good 10 years younger, but it still works.Marilyn Monroe has a supporting role playing the girlfriend of handsome Keith Andes.
I think that the excellent contrast between Paul Douglas,and Robert Ryan in this movie,make it one of the "must see",for any real movie buff out there,goes down in my book,as one of the top 20.You get to see many different faces of Robert Ryan,in a short time,he can have you going back and forth,from thinking him a heel,to pitying him,in a span of seconds.Acting like this is not found very much in today's movies,and they did it without explicit nudity,left it to your imagination.If you really are into great oldies,and love black/white movies,this a truly a must see for anyone even studying film class.Anyone out there wants to see a truly versatile actor,you need look no further,you have two great ones in Robert Ryan,and Paul Douglas..
"Clash By Night" is probably remembered more for the appearance of the young and beautiful Marilyn Monroe rather than for the excellent "eternal triangle" drama that it is.Woman of the world Mae Doyle (Barbara Stanwyck) returns to her home town, a small northern Califoria fishing village, having no other place to go.
Her brother Joe (Keith Andes) is not exactly glad to see her but she manages to strike up a friendship with Joe's girlfriend Peggy (Monroe).Mae looking for security meets local fisherman Jerry D'Amato (Paul Douglas) and the two begin dating.
A little Clash by Day,Too. In this seldom seen or talked about movie,nowaday's we have a special vehicle for Barbara Stanwyck to demonstrate the art of love triangle.She being THE top gross actress of 40's and one very gifted thespian{if given the right script}has plenty of cards to deal and work with in this game of love,integrity,conceit and possible betrayal.Forget that Marilyn Monroe is cast.Her character is fodder for sailor mindset.Since the action and gripping drama take place and very realistically so ,right off the fishing harbor.Which give the movie a true feel for the circumstance and possible dilemna facing cast.Everything about setting is so believable,with grayish overcast sky to blistery and faded dwellings,that feel the salt air as well as breath.Even the costumes,especially of lead character Paul Douglas is very sailor-fied.So to with his family members,J.Carroll Naish,in particular.And I am pleased to announce that finally Stanwyck has that gown put away somewhere,hopefully never to be seen again.She wore more gowns in her career ,than would be humanly possible,except for Hollywood's ,40's fetish for.But not in this movie,and all for the good.From the very first scene of her,lugging big heavy suitcase,without any assistance,we feel her toughness.Both mental and physical.But inwardly psychological and outwardly,a facade waiting for possible cracks to expose themselves.They will and they do,fare thou thee lady.
But not to be underscored are two masterfull performances by the likes of which could not be better adapted.For within Paul Douglas{Big lug Shipping Captain} and Robert Ryan{Conceitfull and unaccomplished bachelor of little means other than what coulda been} we have an ideal combination of polar opposites competing for the attention of our less than grand femme fatale.I like the way each character is developed by way of their dress and mannerisms.Kinda like a old Marie Dressler/Wallace Berry movie.Which lends credibility too and watchabilty for added flavor of fishing theme.There's note a false played within entire movie,except maybe Marilyn Monroe,who is only in for sexy appeal.The movie is about sex,after all,but not outwardly which would be superficial and fleeting at best,but rather a heartfelt passion of minds.How each character feels about themselves and predicament in life and what they can and should do about.Great and simple plot that begs for good acting and feel for part.One can take sides as to who would make better companion or lover for Stanwyck and who would make better husband.How her true character is exposed and brought out for all to see,and test her abilities at true inner self.And how each competing lover or soulmate will test their skills and possible manipulation of ,to win over.Will it be at all costs or with a stretching of the truth,or more with an honest and trustworthy demeanor fitting of any good fisherman.?
(All this, of course, fits in wonderfully with the movie, its locale, images and so forth.)Here are the lines: Ah, love, let us be true to one another....forWe are here as on a darkling plainSwept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,Where ignorant armies clash by night.I don't know who came up with the title, Odets, Lang, or whoever.
Fritz Lang directed this soap opera-like story that stars Barbara Stanwyck as Mae Doyle, who returns to her childhood home to live with her brother Jerry(played by Keith Andes), and his girlfriend Peggy(played by Marilyn Monroe).
She meets, marries, and has a child with a successful but simple fisherman(played by Paul Douglas) who one day introduces her to his employee and friend Earl(played by Robert Ryan) whom there is initial dislike, but eventual attraction, starting an affair between them with possibly tragic consequences...
Okay, let me say what I liked about this movie: Fritz Lang's direction of the various views of the skies with birds and clouds moving in the daytime and nighttime, the performances of Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan, a tough-acting Marilyn Monroe, Keith Anders as her likewise boyfriend, and the people that played Douglas' uncle and father-J.
Having said all that, here are some minuses: Clifford Odets' original dialogue from the play and perhaps some from adapter Alfred Hayes come off as high-falutin' at times and some parts of Stanwyck's suddenly wanting forgiveness from Douglas at the end.
Like Mae, he has seen it all - no more illusions."Clash by Night" - Jerry (Paul Douglas), Mae (Barbara Stanwyck) and Earl (Robert Ryan).But don't worry because the film goes deeper than your traditional Hollywood movie.
I was looking forward to seeing another Fritz Lang film noir, one that featured a young Marilyn Monroe in a mostly unglamorous supporting role.
Peggy, who works in the local fish cannery, is very happy being with Joe but Mae's talk about the great life, that she experienced the last ten years, in the big city greatly upsets her kid, who's some 10 years younger then her, brother Joe.It doesn't take long for Mae to get involved with Joe's boss, on the fishing boat, Jerry A'Mato, Paul Douglas, who knows her from the old days when she was still living in Monterey.
Barbara Stanwyck as Mae Doyle portrays another malcontented woman, trying to make a go of her life, and following in all the wrong directions.Robert Ryan as Earl, a friend of Joe the fisherman (who eventually marries Mae, and truly loves her, at first).
Ryan is excellent and indelible, as a man who is also restless, and eventually has an affair with Mae.There are also some interesting scenes with a young Marilyn Monroe as a local employee at the fish cannery in Monterey, California.
Directed by Fritz Lang, Clash By Night's biggest asset was that it starred a 26-year-old Marilyn Monroe who looked absolutely wonderful as Peggy, the girl with the insanely jealous boyfriend.Unfortunately, this film's story was mainly focused on Barbara Stanwyck's character, Mae, a world-weary woman who returns to her girlhood home (the fishing village of Monterey, California) to settle down, only to find out that things are just as topsy-turvy there.For the most part, Clash By Night (from 1952) was an entertaining drama of strong emotions and intense desperation.This film was based on the play of the same name written by Clifford Odets..
The original play takes place on Staten Island and all of Odets's left wing views are taken out of the film and it becomes a standard triangle drama.On Broadway the roles played by Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, and Robert Ryan were originated by Tallulah Bankhead, Lee J.
Robert Ryan was also in the Broadway play in the part of Stanwyck's younger brother played in the film by Keith Andes.Stanwyck has returned home to a fishing village, a woman who's been around the block more than a few times.
Marilyn did eventually get it right though and her performance is important her as her husband fears the bad ways of his sister might just rub off on her.Fritz Lang directed the film, Monroe must have driven that particular set drillmaster nuts.
Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan play a couple of dissatisfied, bitter middle-aged people in 'Clash by Night', a film which may leave you as dissatisfied as it left me.
Her brother Joe fears that his love, fish cannery worker Peggy, may wind up like Mae. Mae marries Jerry and has a baby; she is happy but restless, drawn to Jerry's friend Earl.Although considered a film noir, and coming from Fritz Lang (who has made many noir films), I would not really put it in that category.
The characters (at least some) are a bit seedy, but it's really more of a bad romance told in a stage-play style.Barbara Stanwyck is great as always, and this was a bit of a breakout role for Marilyn Monroe (though her part is quite small).
Luscious Marilyn Monroe (Peggy), with a swimsuit scene, and shirtless Keith Andes (Joe) are both very chesty.Incidentally, playwright Clifford Odets' world-weary "Mae" was originated by Tallulah Bankhead on stage; and, Robert Ryan ("Earl" in the film) portrayed Keith Andes' movie role (of "Joe").
******* Clash by Night (6/16/52) Fritz Lang ~ Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan, Marilyn Monroe, Paul Douglas.
Directed by Fritz Lang, it had good performances by Barbara Stanwyck as a woman seeking some type of excitement in her drab life, Paul Douglas as a decent man betrayed, and Robert Ryan as a guilt - ridden betrayer of his friend.
Emotions run high in this tale of betrayal, adultery and selfishness whilst the passions of its characters ensure that violence, or the threat of it, is never far away.When Mae Doyle (Barbara Stanwyck) returns to Monterey, she says it's because "home is where you come when you run out of places" and describes her life in four words "big ideas, small results".
On their first date, fishing boat owner Jerry, introduces Mae to his good friend Earl Pfeiffer (Robert Ryan) who's a movie projectionist.
The quality of the acting is also generally good with Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan standing out and Marilyn Monroe making a strong impression in one of her earliest dramatic roles as the very spirited Peggy..
Marilyn as usual, can't act and just annoyed me but luckily was not in the film for very long.What I liked: I did enjoy the scenery- Lang did a good job of showing Monterey as a fishing town.
The title of Fritz Lang's Clash by Night and its placement in his filmography might lead you to expect a film noir, and a couple of its characters (played by Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan) express themselves almost entirely through noir-soaked barbs and aphorisms, reflecting the tortured worldviews beneath.
Maybe it's because I am watching this film through modern day glasses, because I could not understand why Peggy (Marilyn Monroe) stayed with her boyfriend or why Mae (Barbara Stanwyck) would even want to be with Earl (Robert Ryan).
She also becomes the centre of attention of two men, fishing boat skipper Jerry D'Amato (Paul Douglas) and his friend, Earl Pfeiffer (Robert Ryan).Although he didn't adapt the play for the screen, Odet's ideas and world-view still come through."Clash by Night" takes a while to get into, but the film picks up the pace when the focus turns to Earl's character.