L'extravagant M. Phillips

A Kiss in the Dark isn't a very nice movie. How can a movie not be nice, you ask? It makes fun of an intellectual because he doesn't know his way around the great outdoors like a boy scout. A character works the graveyard shift and wishes his neighbors to be quiet during the day so he can sleep, and instead of sympathy, the neighbors purposely make as much noise as possible to drive him away. Infidelity is brushed under the rug, and if the main character's lines were said by someone other than David Niven, he'd probably come across as callous.

In the film, David Niven is a world-famous concert pianist, but after twenty-one years of performances, he wants a break. Somehow, he finds out he's accidentally purchased an apartment complex, and the manager, Victor Moore, asks him to help fix the shabby place. The physical structure is in tatters, it's out of money, and the tenants don't get along. But, since David Niven meets Jane Wyman during his first visit, and since he can't stop staring at her lovely legs, he agrees to put his normal life on hold and devote all his time and energy to the apartment's problems.

Jane actually looks pretty cute in this movie, and has much more energy than she usually does. The Niv is always darling, but his talents are wasted in this silly romantic comedy. There are a couple of cute jokes, sprinkled in among the eye-rolling slapstick gags and rather mean-spirited main plot points. Jane baulks that The Niv thinks he's better than everyone else; she says, "He's not the President of the United States!" which, if you remember who she used to be married to, will make you laugh. And, in my favorite part of the movie, David Niven shows her his travel keyboard, saying when he travels without it he doesn't know what to do with himself. Jane looks him up and down, smiles, and tosses the keyboard aside.

All in all, this one's very silly. Jane fans can watch Three Guys Named Mike, Niv fans can watch Happy Go Lovely, and Victor fans can watch Swing Time instead.

"A Kiss in the Dark" is a fun, warm story, gentle romance and fine comedy. David Niven is very good as world famous pianist Eric Phillips, who goes into the apartment house management business. Jane Wyman is very good as the saucy and very likable and helpful tenant, Polly Haines. But this film owes at least half its charm to Victor Moore. His Horace Willoughby had to sell his apartment building because he was going broke by his charitable management.

Moore had at least two superb movies in his later career. This one and his Aloysius T. McKeever, in the great 1947 comedy and drama, "It Happened on Fifth Avenue." Some other cast members here are notable - Broderick Crawford as the very loud Mr. Botts, Wayne Morris as insurance salesman and Polly's boyfriend, Bruce Arnold; and Joseph Buloff as Eric's crafty, cranky and slightly crooked business manager and handler.

Another Hollywood lady of distinction has a small role, but she is always recognized and appreciated. Maria Ouspenskaya, the Russian actress who defected in 1922 appeared on Broadway for several years and then founded the School of Dramatic Art in 1929 in New York. Here she plays Madam Karina.

This is a fine film with very humorous touches that most people should enjoy.

Here's a line from Mr. Willoughby to Polly: "I knew you were in love with him before you did."

David Niven is an isolated concert pianist who is swept into the lives of apartment house residents in "A Kiss in the Dark," also starring Jane Wyman. Niven is excellent as a man who knows no other world than that of the concert stage and the practice room, and his handlers like it that way. When an apartment manager visits him, Niven learns that one of his investments is The Cleopatra Apartments. One look at Jane Wyman in her shorts and Niven decides not to be an absentee landlord.

This is a very entertaining comedy, and I agree with previous posters that there are laugh out loud scenes. Some of the comedy is provided by, of all people, Broderick Crawford as a subletter who works at night and sleeps -- or tries to -- all day. It's a different role for Crawford, and he does it very well.

Wyman is very pretty and vivacious as an apartment dweller who falls for Niven, and the two have wonderful chemistry. Handsome Wayne Morris is her insurance salesman boyfriend. This isn't the most fabulous film you'll ever see, but it's a fun one.

This film is a pleasant diversion that might be described as cute.

Eric Phillips (David Niven) is a neurotic pianist who lives life on a treadmill, surrounded by a retinue dedicated to keeping him on the concert circuit, earning money. When his financial manager invests some of his income in the purchase of an apartment building called the Cleopatra Arms, Eric gets a visit from a man named Horace Willoughby (Victor Moore) with news that will shake up his life.

Jane Wyman plays the part of Polly Haines, a comely model who lives in the Cleopatra. I'll admit that I have underestimated Ms. Wyman in the past, but this film has reminded me that she has talent and attractiveness. Polly is a somewhat simple part to portray, but Ms. Wyman elicits all of its facets with apparent ease.

Broderick Crawford does what he does so well: playing a pugnacious, ranting bully. He is meant to be part of the comedic relief, but his portrayal is not light-hearted enough, and better suited to a film like "Born Yesterday", which has serious issues to peddle.

Niven is the soul of light-hearted comedy, and he easily occupies the film's focal point.

David Niven, a concert pianist, has just acquired a new property, that of a hotel building called Cleopatra Arms. I forget the details of how or why, but the place turns out to be anything but normal. He goes to see the place, after getting a visit from the hotel manager Victor Moore about getting repairs fixed for the building inspector. David winds up inspecting Jane Wyman, a tenant in her short shorts, and they instantly hit it off, despite the fact she already has a boyfriend, played by Wayne Morris. Broderick Crawford is a tenant who works by night, so he must sleep by day, and is very obnoxious about everyone making too much noise. There is a very funny bit about David practicing his piano playing next door to Crawford's room in an attempt to get the brute to move. In fact, I enjoyed the whole film, as it was very lighthearted and fun, with David being put in the position of Boy Scout leader, when he takes a group of boys on a hike and David, of course, knows nothing about such outdoor techniques of building a lean-to shelter. A sweet and satisfying little winner this is with Jane and David and a kiss in the dark....