Night and Day

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Night and Day

1946

2h 8m

Musical

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

60%

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5 Reviews

41%

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1,000+ Ratings

When his first stage show fails, songwriter Cole Porter (Cary Grant) goes off to fight in World War I until, injured, he lands in a hospital. He impresses nurse Linda Lee (Alexis Smith) with his creativity, but their budding romance must wait as Cole heads home. Back in New York, he mounts a series of popular shows, and when his work brings him back to Europe, he eventually marries Linda. But success doesn't spare him from marital complications or bad news about a beloved relative.

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Jay Carmody

Washington Star

To demur that it let a few false notes get into Porter's life story is merely querulousness that will never enter the heads or the reactions of the multitudes who will enjoy it.

Jul 31, 2020

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Betsy Bozdech

DVDJournal.com

More a series of musical numbers strung together with bits of drama than a truly thoughtful look at the life of one of America's greatest talents.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 29, 2006

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Jul 28, 2005

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Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rated: 3/5

Feb 25, 2005

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Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Laughably sanitized biopic.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 13, 2004

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Ed .

Remember when Aretha Franklin suggested Halle Berry to portray her in a movie of her life? This would have exercised more accuracy than Night and Day. Yet, the music and Alexis Smith partially redeem this film.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/29/25

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Dallas H

Does anyone know if Jim Broadbent's performance as Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge (2001) was inspired by Monty Woolley? The similarities between the two's general appearance and vocal deliveries got me wondering about a plausible connection between them. This biopic about Cole Porter is a nice little diddy, clearly draped in the usual studio production style of the '40s. Maybe I am more partial to the 2004 biopic De-Lovely, starring Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/12/23

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David K

Passable for the music. I'm not sure how much they can step around the whole Cole Porter was gay issue, but they do. I wonder if audiences in 1946 had any clue about Mr. Porter's sexual orientation, but looking at the film 77 years later, it's should be obvious to today's viewers. It's rare that I can say Cary Grant is miscast but that is the case in this film. Alexis Smith is not though I prefer her work in Noir. Finally, these classic tunes do come off flat with their treatment here. But, it passes the time.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/05/23

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steve d

Only if you pretend it isn't Porter will you have fun.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Annette C

Purely fictional account of Cole Porter's life. Great music.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/13/18

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W. W. W

As a biography of Cole Porter, it is mostly untruthful. But as a fictional musical, its historical perspectives in music are interesting. And the performances are commendable.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/12/24

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Michael Curtiz

Director

Cary Grant

Cole Porter

Alexis Smith

Linda Lee Porter

Monty Woolley

Self

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Synopsis

When his first stage show fails, songwriter Cole Porter (Cary Grant) goes off to fight in World War I until, injured, he lands in a hospital. He impresses nurse Linda Lee (Alexis Smith) with his creativity, but their budding romance must wait as Cole heads home. Back in New York, he mounts a series of popular shows, and when his work brings him back to Europe, he eventually marries Linda. But success doesn't spare him from marital complications or bad news about a beloved relative.

Director: Michael Curtiz
Producer: Arthur Schwartz
Screenwriter: William Bowers, Charles Hoffman, Jack Moffitt, Leo Townsend
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: Musical, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 2, 1946, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2011
Runtime: 2h 8m

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