Night Must Fall

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Night Must Fall is a play, a psychological thriller, by Emlyn Williams, first performed in 1935.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The 1937 film of the play tells the story of an elderly woman in remote County Essex, England, who hires a young man to work in her home, despite her niece's increasing concerns that he may be a local murderer. Featuring a very scary hatbox. Chilling when performed properly. The film starred Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell and Dame May Whitty.

The movie was adapted by John Van Druten from the play, and was directed by Richard Thorpe.

It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Robert Montgomery) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Dame May Whitty).

Dame May Whitty had played the same role when the play was performed in London and in New York City.

A 1964 remake was directed by Karel Reisz from a script by Clive Exton, and starred Albert Finney, Susan Hampshire, and Sheila Hancock, but was not as successful as the original film.

A Broadway revival in the 1990s starring Matthew Broderick, essaying an Irish accent (as did Montgomery), rather than a Welsh one, performed respectably at the box office.