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Middle of the Night

Play trailer Poster for Middle of the Night 1959 1h 58m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 3 Reviews 64% 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 09/14/2021
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. Go to Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine 10/17/2019
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. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 09/02/2010
B-
Old-fashioned sober drama. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Martin B Nov 7 Wall to wall cliché and out of date as well. Now younger women go with old men all the time with not pretense of love. The old man gets a young babe and the women gets to live well. This movie assumed love was in play and all it was for both was the age old story of lonely people seeking a human connection to make life worthwhile. See more 08/03/2021 Excellent real life drama. Frederic March is at his very best and so was Kim Novak. You felt what they felt. Great ending... See more steve d 07/20/2020 There is really little to it. See more 03/27/2019 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. See more 03/26/2019 Very complex. Could be based on real life situations of author. See more 07/02/2017 You never get to old for love..... See more Read all reviews
Middle of the Night

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Cast & Crew

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Delbert Mann

Director

Kim Novak

Betty Preisser

Fredric March

Jerry Kingsley

Glenda Farrell

Mrs. Mueller

Albert Dekker

Walter Lockman

Martin Balsam

Jack
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Middle of the Night

Middle of the Night (1959) Middle of the Night (1959) Middle of the Night (1959) View more photos

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