EYES IN THE NIGHT

Director: Fred Zinnemann

Stars: Edward Arnold, Ann Harding, Donna Reed, Katherine Emery, Reginald Denny, Friday the dog

Year: 1942

Rating: N/R

Eyes in the Night is a taut, suspenseful action thriller set during the early years of World War II. Edward Arnold stars ad Duncan "Mac" Maclain, a celebrated detective who happens to be blind. Solving his cases with the help of his seeing-eye dog Friday, Mac and Friday are called into service when Mac's good friend Norma Lawry (Ann Harding) asks his help in trying to drive away an old beau, who is now after Norma's 17-year-old stepdaughter Barbara (Donna Reed) and has already turned the girl's mind against Norma, seemingly just to get back at her.

Mac's first suggestion is that Norma try and talk to the guy - see him one on one, and boldly tell him to lay off - but when Norma's ex is murdered and Donna becomes convinced that Norma did it and threatens to tell the police unless Norma leaves her father for good, it's up to Mac and Friday to investigate and clear Norma's name.

But what the detective doesn't count on is that all is not right in the Lawry home, period - thanks to a secret that Norma's scientist husband is working on for the government, that some very unsavory (and unpatriotic) characters would do anything to get their hands on. Posing as Norma's uncle, Mac infiltrates the house, trying to sort through the mess - and soon a second murder and some enemies posing as friends threatens not only Mac and the Lawrys ... but also national security.

This film is a real gem I happened to catch on Turner Classic Movies. The casting is perfect - down to Friday, an amazing dog that pretty much steals every scene he in and makes both Lassie and Rin Tin Tin look lazy. Comic relief is provided here and there, especially by Mantan Moreland as Mac's butler, and the actual mystery of who killed who is solved not even halfway through the film - but by then the intrigue of the spy story has kicked in fully, and both the action and tension stay taut through to the end. Edward Arnold is utterly convincing as the blind Duncan Maclain, leading an excellent cast, and it was even kind of cool to see Donna Reed play a not-so-nice gal with attitude here.

While the film isn't perfect, it has just the right amounts of suspense, mystery, humor and action to make it more than enjoyable, and for a film released in 1942 the storyline is exceptionally sensitive in depicting how blindness can not only stop someone from living his life - but actually aid him in fighting crime. What an enjoyable surprise - one that, it appears, viewers can catch in its entirety on IMDB, if you don't have Turner Classic Movies - one I'm truly happy I took the time to see. ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome