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Middle of the Night

Play trailer Poster for Middle of the Night Released Jun 17, 1959 1h 58m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 3 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Jerry Kingsley (Fredric March) is a wealthy garment manufacturer left lonely in his 60s when his wife dies. Despite the difference in their ages, he strikes up a romance with divorced 24-year-old receptionist Betty (Kim Novak). The relationship is dismissed by his daughter, Lillian (Joan Copeland), discouraged by his sister, Evelyn (Edith Meiser), and denounced by Betty's mother (Glenda Farrell) -- but when Jerry begins to mention marriage, even Betty is forced to confront her ambivalence.

Critics Reviews

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Manny Farber The New Leader The director, Delbert Mann, does a clichéd grim realism with backgrounds, weather, faces. The two miscast leads, Frederic March and Kim Novak, are a sometimes effective but generally square approximation of garment district miserables. Sep 14, 2021 Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine Some of the sharp edges in Paddy Chayefsky's fine stage play have been blunted in his own screen version, although there are many good moments. Oct 17, 2019 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Old-fashioned sober drama. Rated: B- Sep 2, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Excellent real life drama. Frederic March is at his very best and so was Kim Novak. You felt what they felt. Great ending... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review steve d There is really little to it. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member A Paddy Chayefsky play -- drama at its very finest, done in the most professional way by March and Novack. A controversial theme made empathetic by the needs of the participants in the action. We see all this unfold and learn the truth behind every so-called irrational action. Piercing drama shows us layers and layers of emotion, thought, and human feeling as time passes. Certainly a classic. An outstanding script and outstanding performances by the actors. This is a must-see for anyone interested in film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Very complex. Could be based on real life situations of author. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member You never get to old for love..... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Anything written by Paddy Chayefsky is worthy the attention of movie lovers. The only screenwriter to win three Oscars for scripts written by a sole writer, Chayefsky is a master at many things. One of those is his ability to focus on incongruous romances and deliver sharp observations. Middle of the Night is an honest portrayal of the proverbial May-December romance. The doubts, insecurities and manipulations are all there and director Delbert Mann visualizes it all to near perfection. Iconic actors Fredric March and Kim Novak have the difficult lead roles - especially Novak whose 24 year old character suffers from "emotional immaturity" issues as March's character calls it. At times she struggles with the material, but she still commands with an undeniable film presence. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Middle of the Night

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Middle of the Night

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Movie Info

Synopsis Jerry Kingsley (Fredric March) is a wealthy garment manufacturer left lonely in his 60s when his wife dies. Despite the difference in their ages, he strikes up a romance with divorced 24-year-old receptionist Betty (Kim Novak). The relationship is dismissed by his daughter, Lillian (Joan Copeland), discouraged by his sister, Evelyn (Edith Meiser), and denounced by Betty's mother (Glenda Farrell) -- but when Jerry begins to mention marriage, even Betty is forced to confront her ambivalence.
Director
Delbert Mann
Producer
George Justin
Screenwriter
Paddy Chayefsky
Production Co
Sudan Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 17, 1959, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 3, 2010
Runtime
1h 58m