Clifford Odets reputation as a leading dramatist in the thirties, forties, and fifties has never recovered from his being labeled a "fellow traveler" (at least) of the Communists in the 1950s. Although he survived the McCarthy period, he was never as totally popular again. His real hey day was when he wrote AWAKE AND SING, PARADISE LOST, and WAITING FOR LEFTY. But he had gone to Hollywood and written (and even directed) some films. Then in the early 1950s he wrote the play CLASH BY NIGHT. It was about a love triangle between two friends and the wife of one of them. This film was based on the drama. But there were major changes in it.
Mae Doyle is a woman seeking fulfillment. She has a reputation. She finds that a fisherman, Jerry D'Amato, wants to marry her. In a moment of weakness she gives into his proposal of marriage, and they do marry - even have a baby. But she feels too straight-jacketed by the domestic scene. Then she meets Jerry's friend Earl Pfeiffer. She starts an affair with him. Jerry is not fully aware of this (he is a trifle blind), but that is taken care of by his "helpful" uncle Vince, who tips him off. At the same time that this is going on, Mae's brother Joe is pursuing an attractive young girl named Peggy.
Unlike the best known Odets' plays (which deal with social injustice or economic injustice), CLASH BY NIGHT was pure melodrama. As a matter of fact the original play ended violently with a homicide - that was not in the film. Also, keeping with Odets use of social reality, Uncle Vince (whose lousy behavior towards Mae is due to his having to leave his comfortable room in Jerry's home for Mae and her baby) is something of an anti-Semite and racist. That was not used in the film either.
Still the film is not a bad example of a well-made film melodrama. Directed by Fritz Lang, it had good performances by Barbara Stanwyck as a woman seeking some type of excitement in her drab life, Paul Douglas as a decent man betrayed, and Robert Ryan as a guilt - ridden betrayer of his friend. J. Carroll Naish, even without the anti-Semitic dialog, is able to squeeze every drop of malignancy out of his Uncle Vince (my favorite performance in the film by the way). As Peggy, Monroe gives a performance as a young woman who is fully aware of what Joe wants, but is determined that she'll get what she wants (marriage), and again shows that hidden intelligence that comes through her best work.
Recently the actor who played Joe, Keith Andes, died by suicide. His career was never as big as it seemed headed when he played Joe (and his performance is very good). It is interesting to see Andes and Monroe together - so young and full of promise - and with tragedy awaiting both at the conclusion.
Mae Doyle is a woman seeking fulfillment. She has a reputation. She finds that a fisherman, Jerry D'Amato, wants to marry her. In a moment of weakness she gives into his proposal of marriage, and they do marry - even have a baby. But she feels too straight-jacketed by the domestic scene. Then she meets Jerry's friend Earl Pfeiffer. She starts an affair with him. Jerry is not fully aware of this (he is a trifle blind), but that is taken care of by his "helpful" uncle Vince, who tips him off. At the same time that this is going on, Mae's brother Joe is pursuing an attractive young girl named Peggy.
Unlike the best known Odets' plays (which deal with social injustice or economic injustice), CLASH BY NIGHT was pure melodrama. As a matter of fact the original play ended violently with a homicide - that was not in the film. Also, keeping with Odets use of social reality, Uncle Vince (whose lousy behavior towards Mae is due to his having to leave his comfortable room in Jerry's home for Mae and her baby) is something of an anti-Semite and racist. That was not used in the film either.
Still the film is not a bad example of a well-made film melodrama. Directed by Fritz Lang, it had good performances by Barbara Stanwyck as a woman seeking some type of excitement in her drab life, Paul Douglas as a decent man betrayed, and Robert Ryan as a guilt - ridden betrayer of his friend. J. Carroll Naish, even without the anti-Semitic dialog, is able to squeeze every drop of malignancy out of his Uncle Vince (my favorite performance in the film by the way). As Peggy, Monroe gives a performance as a young woman who is fully aware of what Joe wants, but is determined that she'll get what she wants (marriage), and again shows that hidden intelligence that comes through her best work.
Recently the actor who played Joe, Keith Andes, died by suicide. His career was never as big as it seemed headed when he played Joe (and his performance is very good). It is interesting to see Andes and Monroe together - so young and full of promise - and with tragedy awaiting both at the conclusion.