The Horn Blows at Midnight

1945
Approved
1h 18m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

1.6K

YOUR RATING

Jack Benny, Dolores Moran, and Alexis Smith in The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945)

A trumpet player in a radio orchestra falls asleep during a commercial and dreams he's Athanael, an angel deputized to blow the Last Trumpet at exactly midnight on Earth, thus marking the end of the world.

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22 Photos

Screwball Comedy Supernatural Fantasy Comedy Fantasy Music

A trumpet player in a radio orchestra falls asleep during a commercial and dreams he's Athanael, an angel deputized to blow the Last Trumpet at exactly midnight on Earth, thus marking the en... Read allA trumpet player in a radio orchestra falls asleep during a commercial and dreams he's Athanael, an angel deputized to blow the Last Trumpet at exactly midnight on Earth, thus marking the end of the world.A trumpet player in a radio orchestra falls asleep during a commercial and dreams he's Athanael, an angel deputized to blow the Last Trumpet at exactly midnight on Earth, thus marking the end of the world.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

1.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Junior Poplinski
(as Bobby Blake)

Ethel Griffies

Lady Stover

Paul Harvey

Hotel Manager Thompson

Mike Mazurki

Bass Player…

Truman Bradley

Radio Announcer

Sailor Vincent

Clerk
(scenes deleted)

Betty Alexander

Angel
(uncredited)

Murray Alper

Tony - the Hotel Bell Captain
(uncredited)

Jimmy Ames

Tarzola - the Rocket Man
(uncredited)

Director
- Raoul Walsh
Writers
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
For the rest of his career Jack Benny used the failure of this movie as one of his best jokes.

Goofs
When Fran Blackstone grabs hold of the rooftop wall in order to climb atop and jump, the entire wall wobbles under her weight.

Quotes
Athanael: What are they supposed to be doing?
Maitre d': I wouldn't know, sir; they call it dancing.
Athanael: I must tell St. Vitus about this.

Connections
Featured in The Projectionist (1970)

Soundtracks
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
(prior to 1862) (uncredited)
Written by Wallis Willis
Swing version played when Athaneal sits in with the band

User reviews46

Featured review

8/10

A Comedy Classic

If you have to watch one Jack Benny movie, this one would probably be the one to watch. As other reviewers have noted, this movie bombed at the box office after its release and Benny joked about this fact often in his monologues. Even though it was poorly received at the time it came out, its stands up better now. Its best when watched not just as a comedy but as a parable that has timeless themes, that are not just relevant to the 1940's.

Good versus evil, greed versus generosity, heaven versus life on earth. The "fish out of water" sequences where Jack Benny, as an angel, struggles to adjust to the realities of life on earth, are also very funny and timeless. All that and Jack Benny's warm and funny screen presence make this an appealing picture.