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Nightfall

Play trailer Poster for Nightfall 1956 1h 18m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In rural Wyoming, James Vanning (Aldo Ray) aids stranded motorists John (Brian Keith) and Red (Rudy Bond). But after James finds out that the men just pulled off a huge bank heist, they try to kill him. When a harsh storm suddenly hits, the crooks lose their loot, and James manages to escape to Los Angeles, where he goes into hiding. He receives an unwelcome visit, however, from John and Red, who believe that James knows more about their lost money than he's letting on.
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Nightfall

Critics Reviews

View All (9) Critics Reviews
David Fear Time Out The kind of pedigreed pulp that gets left off greatest-genre-hits lists yet still inspires motormouthed overpraising from directorial enthusiasts. Rated: 3/5 Jun 9, 2010 Full Review J. Hoberman Village Voice Not only a nifty late noir but a model of economical filmmaking -- well-sketched atmosphere, deft characterizations, and a 78-minute running time. Jun 8, 2010 Full Review Simon Abrams Slant Magazine In spite of that tantalizing potential, Nightfall will always just be a promising B picture. Rated: 3/4 Jun 7, 2010 Full Review Rob Aldam Backseat Mafia Jacques Tourneur has great fun playing with and subverting noir tropes. May 31, 2019 Full Review Sean Axmaker Parallax View Crisply directed, scripted with gems of hardboiled lines and superbly paced, it's a film of darkness and light that ends up in the snowy mountains of Wyoming... Aug 11, 2010 Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television Uneven thriller with some fine set pieces and beautiful photography. Aug 9, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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nick s A fairly good film. Some aspects could have been better... the characters made illogical decisions, the hero kept beating off armed assailants with bare hands, and the plot lacked juicy surprises. Also the lead actor was a little patchy. But still worth watching. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Black and White but does not waste your time ever. Immediate suspense that never lets up. A very eloquent film, simple but beautiful. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Tom M Great noire. Ray and Bancoft are perfect as is supporting cast. Villian's creative demise during climax is classic. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/03/20 Full Review Audience Member Screenwriter Stirling Silliphant offers up a string of implausibilities in this tightly scripted noir. Silliphant does provide master filmmaker Jacques Tourneur cool locations like an oil pump field and outdoor fashion show that give the movie a Hitchcockian-feel. Aldo Ray plays the lead and it's great to see film lovers take a new accounting of his work. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Jacques Torneur maestro del blanco y negro. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review george r Aldo Ray is so-so, but anne bancroft and the other actors more than compensate. The plot has some weaknesses but the mood is great and i enjoyed the ending a lot. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Nightfall

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Movie Info

Synopsis In rural Wyoming, James Vanning (Aldo Ray) aids stranded motorists John (Brian Keith) and Red (Rudy Bond). But after James finds out that the men just pulled off a huge bank heist, they try to kill him. When a harsh storm suddenly hits, the crooks lose their loot, and James manages to escape to Los Angeles, where he goes into hiding. He receives an unwelcome visit, however, from John and Red, who believe that James knows more about their lost money than he's letting on.
Director
Jacques Tourneur
Producer
Ted Richmond
Screenwriter
Stirling Silliphant
Production Co
Copa Productions
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Oct 19, 2010
Runtime
1h 18m
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