Esta Noite ou Nunca

"This Could be the Night" is a charming fish-out-of-water story about a straight-laced girl who becomes a part-time secretary at a seedy nightclub in New York. Jean Simmons plays Anne, the self-possessed college grad who's trying to expand her horizons by taking a job where she's surrounded by "characters." The club staff quickly find out that she's a "nice girl" -- that is, a virgin -- and tacitly conspire to keep her that way. No-one takes this task more seriously than Tony, one of the owners, and a well-known lothario. Naturally he's falling for her and is determined to keep her out of every man's clutches, especially his own.

The chemistry between Simmons and Fransciosa sizzles and all the characters' tiptoeing around the word "virgin" definitely gives the movie more sexual overtones than you would expect. The club staff are a likeable bunch -- from busboy Hassan, whose father won't let him change his name until he passes algebra, to strip-dancer Patsy, who really wants to be a cook. The dialogue is snappy and intelligent and the characters stay true to the end.

Jean Simmons plays Anne, a nice, sheltered girl who inexplicably gets herself a job at a nightclub with a seedy reputation. Rocco (Paul Douglas) is taken by this shy but sweet lady and hires her...even though his grouchy partner, Tony (Tony Franciosa), doesn't seem to like her...or anyone else. She is an odd fit for the place and her initial adjustment is rough...but over time she becomes invaluable and Rocco obviously is smitten with her. Well, at least obvious to everyone but Anne. This is a serious problem as Rocco is a very sweet guy and over time Anne and Tony start to fall for each other--which is obvious since they initially hate each other (a bad Hollywood cliché, I know!). How's all this to play out and what is Anne's future? And what about poor, poor Rocco?

This is Tony Franciosa's first film, and it's hard to tell since he seems very good in the film. Not surprisingly Douglas and Simmons are very good...as they usually are. Although the film has some obvious clichés, it IS enjoyable. I also liked the film's supporting cast, with the likes of Joan Blondell, J. Carroll Naish and Zasu Pitts on hand...along with some nice singing by Julie Wilson and Niele Adams (who danced a VERY sexy number). My only problem is that the big confrontation portion when Anne quits seems to be stretched out WAY too long...and shortening up the final portion of the movie would have made it even better! Still, a nice and enjoyable film that's worth your time!

Not quite a comedy, a drama or a musical but something of all three, "This Could Be the Night" is one of the Robert Wise movies that seems to have slipped off the radar which is a pity as it's actually very entertaining. It's certainly got a great cast. Jean Simmons is the schoolteacher who gets a part-time job as secretary to nightclub ower Paul Douglas but doesn't hit it off with his partner, Anthony Franciosa...at least initially. Five minutes in and you can see exactly where this movie is headed but a first-rate supporting cast, (Joan Blondell, the great Julie Wilson, Neile Adams, J. Carrol Naish, Rafael Campos), ensure a pleasant ride. Throw in Ray Anthony and his orchestra and some good musical numbers and what's not to like.

Jean Simmons is a school teacher who has just moved to New York City from New England. To make ends meet, she takes a second job as a secretary at a nightclub owned by Paul Douglas and Anthony Franciosa (in his film debut). Douglas, who hired her, is quite taken with her, but Franciosa thinks she has no business working in a nightclub and tries to get rid of her. She gradually charms her way into the fabric of the place, so by the time she and Franciosa realize they're in love, he can't get rid of her.

This is a pretty damn delightful movie. All three leads are charming and amusing, and it has a pretty wonderful supporting cast including J. Carrol Naish, Joan Blondell and Broadway star Neile Adams (the future Mrs. Steve McQueen) as a stripper who loves cooking. It's almost a semi-musical with Ray Anthony and His Orchestra playing the house band and his regular singer Julie Wilson playing a major role and singing several songs (including the title one).

Quite a bit like the recent "Cold Comfort Farm" (though with a little more dramatic weight) in that in both a plucky, well-bred young woman plunks herself down in a hostile environment, rapidly wins her difficult new companions over and quickly whips them all into shape - without so much as breaking a nail in the process. And much like that picture, this too is great fun.

The director, Robert Wise, has a terrific feel for the nightclub setting and a lot of affection for its colorful inhabitants - always the key for this sort of film working. It's delightfully lively, beautifully paced and works in some fine musical numbers as well.

Marvelous cast. I love the sly, knowing look on schoolteacher Jean Simmons' face after Tony Franciosa, playing the street smart, cynical nightclub manager, comes to her rescue by breaking up a fight in her classroom. Franciosa was an intense, unselfish actor who was great at portraying inner conflict in a natural way that served the storyline, not his ego.

The algebra test subplot (yes, algebra) is a bit of a reach, and the film seems to end somewhat prematurely, but an accomplished piece of film-making nonetheless. Leonard Maltin inaccurately describes Paul Douglas' character as a gangster when in fact, he's merely a nightclub owner who, quite understandably, comes into contact with some unsavory people.