Roadhouse Nights

Ever watched a film where when the credits rolled you still didn't fully understand what you'd just watched. You understood the story, you knew what was going on but you simply didn't "Get it". That was my problem here with Roadhouse Nights.

Based on Dashiell Hammett's book Red Harvest this story has been seen before in film form more famously as Yojimbo (1961), A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and Miller's Crossing (1990).

This version however is very different from what I've seen of the others and I don't mean that in a good way, not even remotely.

The plot is messy, the cinematography is bad even for the 1930's and it's outstandingly dull. It springs to life several times with musical numbers but that cannot save Roadhouse Nights from oceans of mediocrity.

One for fans of..............................I don't actually know.

The Good:

Musical moments are enjoyable enough

The Bad:

Utterly lifeless

Very poor editing

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

How can I learn anything if I don't know what in the blue hell is going on?

I admit I have not seen this film, so cannot review it; but in researching Hammet's "Red Harvest", and in reading the review by F Gwynplaine MacIntyre here, I was utterly shocked. Of course this film, as MacIntyre describes it, cannot possibly be based on Hammett's whirlwind-of-evil crime novel, one of the most violent in the annals of crime fiction in America, one of the most pessimistic, and one of the most obviously assaultive on the capitalist system that permits such systematic corruption as described in Hammett's book. Charles Ruggles?! God save us.

Here is a list of many of the films actually based on the Hammett novel (although none actually credits it as source material!): Yojombo (Japan, Akira Kurosawa); Fistfull of Dollars (Italy-Spain, Sergio Leone); Last Man Standing (US, Walter Hill); Miller's Crossing (US, Coen Brothers); Omega Doom (US/ British/ Taiwan); Gun Crazy: Woman from Nowhere (Japan); Cold Harvest (US/ Australia/ Israel); Mad Max (Australia, starring Mel Gibson); El Mariachi (Mexico, Robert Roderiguez); Single Action (Mexico).

Films influenced by this novel (or its film versions): practically every 'chop-socky' kung fu film made in Hong Kong during the 1970s; almost every 'Spaghetti Weswtern' made in Italy or Spain during the 1960s and 1970s; every film influenced by Mad Max (virtually a genre in itself in the 1980s) (but this also includes, however loosely, the two "Escape From" films from John Carpenter); 'film noir' of the French New Wave (especially Godard's "Alphaville") (also includes Melville's "Samurai" thus including Woo's Melville influenced "the Killer"); Ringo Lam's "Full Contact - well, let's face it the list just goes on and on.

Thus possibly the single most influential novel for fans of action cinema. Yet when Hollywood had it in hand, with Hammet still alive for consultation, they make a quasi-comedy starring - Charles Ruggles?! No wonder real lovers of cinema find Hollywood an expensive, popular, but ultimately trivial, joke! My God! - I'm glad I never saw this.

Read the novel! See all the other films! You will not be disappointed!

Helen Morgan stars here as Lola, a roadhouse singer who gets involved with her boss Sam (Fred Kohler) who is a gangster. He's a bootlegger and possibly the murderer of a nosy reporter (Joe King). On the trail of the missing reporter is Willie (Charlie Ruggles), a reporter who was once Lola's childhood sweetie back home. Willie pretends to be a barfly while he gathers information. He and Lola team up.

Against this dramatic action, there is a comedy act. It's the famous Clayton, Jackson & Durante headed up by none other than Jimmy Durante.

When Lola and Willie try to escape, they are trailed by Sam. A flat tire ends the escape attempt. Willie pretends to be drunk again and makes a phone call to his city editor. While appearing to be drunk he actually uses his ring to tap a coded messages to the newspaper.

This early talkie is notable for several reasons. Star Helen Morgan sings "It Can't Go on Like This" twice in her follow up to the sensational APPLAUSE (1929). This is her last starring role in a film.

This film was written by Ben Hecht, based on a novel by Dashiell Hammett. And this is the only film appearance of Durante (his film debut) and his partners, a comedy team that starred in vaudeville. Durante would go solo soon after this film.

The film captures the seedy roadhouse atmosphere quite well.

His editor is trying to track down Joe King, out investigating a big shipment of booze coming in over Lake Michigan. He doesn't know that King has been killed by Fred Kohler, who runs a local road house, has killed the local chief of police and taken over the town, so he sends Charles Ruggles to find out what's going on. What Ruggles discovers is that his old girlfriend from Kenosha, Helen Morgan, is singing at Kohler's roadhouse, and they get on together like a house on fire, while Kohler grows steadily more suspicious.

If you're looking for a movie based on Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest, this isn't it, despite the credits. Screenwriter and former Chicago newsman Ben Hecht has crafted an entirely new story, and it's a pretty good one at that, even if the pacing is a tad slow. Besides hearing Miss Morgan sing a blues number, you also get to see Clayton, Jackson & Durante doing a couple of their chaotic numbers.

After I watched this film, I read the IMDB page for it. I was shocked to see that Helen Morgan was only 30 when she made the movie, as I thought she was about 50! This is likely because Morgan was an alcoholic and ultimately died when she was 41...a very sad loss.

In the film, the heavy drinker is Willie (Charlie Ruggles). He's a newspaper reporter who spends most of his time frequenting various speakeasies. Despite this, he's an honest guy and excellent reporter.

In this story, Willie meets up with an old sweetie, Lola (Morgan) and she's working in a place owned by a mobster, Sam Horner. Willie spends much of the movie trying to get Lola to leave this job as she doesn't realize just how evil Sam is. But she does know enough to be afraid of the man...and what he'll do if she skidaddles.

In addition to Morgan and Ruggles, Jimmy Durante appears in this, his first film. He's fun...as you'd expect for Durante...but the interesting story seems to be what I remember most from the movie. An interesting and tough film.