Vigil in the Night

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Vigil in the Night
Directed by	George Stevens
Produced by	George Stevens
Written by	A. J. Cronin (serial) Fred Guiol
Starring	Carole Lombard Brian Aherne Anne Shirley
Music by	Alfred Newman
Cinematography	Robert De Grasse
Editing by	Henry Berman
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Release date(s)	February 9, 1940
Running time	96 min./USA: 102 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
IMDb profile

Vigil in the Night is a 1940s film (produced and distributed by RKO Pictures) based on the 1939 serial short story by A. J. Cronin. The film was produced and directed by George Stevens and stars Carole Lombard, Brian Aherne and Anne Shirley.

[edit] Plot summary

Set in Great Britain, Vigil in the Night tells the story of two nurses Anne Lee and her sister, Lucy. Anne takes the blame for a fatal error made by Lucy and is forced to leave the hospital where they both work. She moves to a large city where she procures a job at another hospital and falls in love with Dr. Prescott. Overcoming obstacles and personal tragedy along the way, Anne and Prescott work together to bring about better conditions for the care of the sick as well as fighting an epidemic which threatens to overwhelm all those around them.

The European version of the film has a slightly different ending in recognition of the Second World War which the United States had not yet entered at the time of its release: British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's voice is heard on the radio in Dr. Prescott's office explaining that Hitler has refused to withdraw his troops from Poland and that, therefore, a state of war exists between Germany and Great Britain. The American version of the film contains no such radio message and a shot of Anne Lee and Dr. Prescott reacting to the news was deleted.

[edit] Cast

• Carole Lombard as Anne Lee
• Brian Aherne as Dr. Robert Prescott
• Anne Shirley as Lucy Lee
• Julien Mitchell as Matthew Bowley
• Robert Coote as Dr. Caley
• Brenda Forbes as Nora Dunn
• Rita Page as Glennie
• Peter Cushing as Joe Shand
• Ethel Griffies as Matron East
• Doris Lloyd as Mrs. Martha Bowley
• Emily Fitzroy as Sister Gilson

[edit] External links

• Vigil in the Night at Turner Classic Movies (trailer)
• New York Times overview
• Vigil in the Night at the Internet Movie Database
• Contemporary review of Vigil in the Night from Time

v • d • e Works by A. J. Cronin Novels Hatter's Castle • Three Loves • Grand Canary • The Stars Look Down • The Citadel • The Keys of the Kingdom • The Green Years • Shannon's Way • The Spanish Gardener • The Valorous Years • Beyond This Place • A Thing of Beauty/Crusader's Tomb • The Northern Light • The Native Doctor/An Apple in Eden • The Judas Tree • A Song of Sixpence • A Pocketful of Rye • The Minstrel Boy/Desmonde • Lady with Carnations • Gracie Lindsay Selected Short Stories & Story Collections "Kaleidoscope in 'K'" • Country Doctor (novella) • "Vigil in the Night" • Adventures of a Black Bag • The Innkeeper's Wife • Further Adventures of a Black Bag • Doctor Finlay of Tannochbrae Play Jupiter Laughs Autobiography Adventures in Two Worlds UK/US Film & Television Adaptations Once to Every Woman • Grand Canary • The Citadel (film) • Vigil in the Night • The Stars Look Down • Shining Victory • Hatter's Castle • The Keys of the Kingdom • The Green Years • The Spanish Gardener • Web of Evidence • Dr. Finlay's Casebook • The Citadel (television)

v • d • e Films directed by George Stevens The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble • Kentucky Kernels • Hollywood Party • Bachelor Bait • Laddie • The Nitwits • Alice Adams • Annie Oakley • Swing Time • Quality Street • A Damsel in Distress • Vivacious Lady • Gunga Din • Vigil in the Night • Penny Serenade • Woman of the Year • The Talk of the Town • The More the Merrier • On Our Merry Way • I Remember Mama • A Place in the Sun • Something to Live For • Shane • Giant • The Diary of Anne Frank • The Greatest Story Ever Told • The Only Game in Town

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