London by Night

A murder occurs in a London night. A mystery man with an umbrella is seen running away. Reporter Michael Denis is always accompanied by his loyal dog Jones. Socialite Patricia Herrick joins him in his investigation along with Scotland Yard Inspector Jefferson.

The umbrella is a cute prop until it's not. It becomes more or less a gimmick. He is literally using the umbrella to hide behind even when he's indoors. It starts like a great concept, but it becomes a bit ridiculous. I like Michael's start with his dog. I like his connection with Patricia although they need more time together. They need the time to do more banter. I did get invested in the murder mystery even if it's only a flawed little film.

It is all too obvious after the first five minutes who the master criminal, "The Umbrella Man" is. Nevertheless, it is a charming, lighthearted mystery with some very good performances.

George Murphy (long before he became a U.S. senator from California,) plays the lead part, Michael Denis, with a great deal of charm and a large dose of tongue-in-cheek. Truth be told, our late U.S. senator was quite a handsome man.

A small side note: back in 1964 I worked at General Service Studios in Hollywood as a messenger. Among other shows that were filmed there was "The Beverly Hillbillies" starring Buddy Ebsen. Ebsen and Murphy were good friends. After Murphy won his U.S. senate seat, he visited Ebsen in his dressing room. There was some talk that Ebsen (who to me, at my lofty age of 18, seemed to be an insufferable snob) might run for office himself.

I had bicycled up to Ebsen's dressing room to deliver some mail. I misjudged the distance between the curb and the dressing room. I hit the curb straight on, knocking all the mail out of my basket. Just as I was maneuvering that very graceful slam, Sen. Murphy came walking out of the dressing room. I was a bit surprised to see that he was about my height. I was, and still am, at 5'9", far from a giant* "What seems to be the trouble, son?" asked the affable Murphy. "I dropped my mail, senator," I managed to mumble and stumble out. "Here, let me help you," said Murphy, whereby this dignified, handsome, and immaculately dressed United States senator got down on his hands and knees, and helped me shuffle the mail back into my basket.

I have been a life-long Democrat, but if I had been old enough to vote for Republican George Murphy, I certainly would have.

What a guy!

*other "cutesie" names (which I learned to despise) were, "squirt," "pipsqueak," "shorty," (which the school bully always called me) and my all time favorite, "shrimp boats."

By way of explanation of that last one, there was a very popular song being sung at that time called "Shrimp Boats are A-comin'"

London by Night (1937) was a B movie, set in London (read: back lot of MGM) and starring George Murphy, Virginia Field, Rita Johnson, Leo G. Carroll, George Zucco, Montagu Love, and Corky. This film is actually based on a play that was never produced.

Murphy plays Michel Denis, a newspaperman in London who, in the morning, is leaving for a vacation in Paris. He and his buddy, a dog named Jones, decide to stay in London, however, to help solve a series of murders by a man carrying an umbrella.

Along the way, he meets a pretty socialite (Johnson), who lives in a house that includes her father (Zucco) and a butler (Carroll).

The atmosphere is captured with lots of fog and some dreadful Cockney, the worst offender being the usually likable Virginia Field. She overdid her role as a barmaid big time.

George Murphy was an actor of terrific charm, and he brings it on here. The dog who plays his dog, Corky, is terrific.

Pleasant.

George Murphy is Denis, newspaperman in London. he's in a pub in london when all hell breaks loose. when a couple of locals are necking in the park, a man with an umbrella is spotted running around, late at night, and the locals are sure he's up to no good. bring in scotland yard. and when the clues lead to the Herrick mansion, Denis tries to figure out how Patricia Herrick (Rita Johnson) might be involved. finally, there's a demand for money. Denis and scotland yard backtrack and try to follow the clues. but it's not who they think! Murphy had only been in the biz a couple years when he got this starring role. directed by Wilhelme Thiele. had to leave germany, as Jews were not welcome there under adolph. Story by playwright and story man Will Scott. it's a shortie from MGM, apparently from the play "The Umbrella". and Murphy was actually a U.S. Senator!

This decent but unremarkable programmer has George Murphy sliding occasionally into his Irish brogue, as a reporter in foggy London who wants to go on vacation, but he needs to solve the mystery of 'the Umbrella Man' and court Rita Johnson -- doing a Billie Burke imitation -- assisted and hampered by his dog and Scotland Yard.

As you can tell from that description, it has occasional screwball overtones, but it's largely carried by Murphy's Irish charm. MGM didn't do many of this sort of movie once you descended from the heights of the THIN MAN series, and so it needs to be compared to the RKO programmers of the type. It comes off well in most departments, but it does lack focus and depends on the charm of Mr. George Murphy.... later U.S. Senator. That's one way of getting there, I suppose.