"Night After Night" is an OK vehicle for George Raft as a gangster-ish speakeasy owner with aspirations toward bettering himself, particularly once he becomes fixated on a "society dame." But it would have long been forgotten if it didn't happen to provide Mae West's screen debut, and if Paramount hadn't had the excellent sense to let her write her own dialogue. Despite relatively little screentime, she made such a splash that they hurried her into a first starring vehicle ("She Done Him Wrong," from her big stage hit "Diamond Lil"), and the rest is history. What's most interesting here is the way in which the movie offers some of the persona filmgoers would soon love, it's not full-scale yet, and a bit softened.
In her star vehicles (as well as, presumably, her stage ones), Mae was the center of the universe, attracting no end of avid male admirers she treats with blase good humor. But here most of her interactions are with women--yes, she enters because she's old friends with Raft's character, but settles in to become fast friends with both the society ingenue and Allison Skipworth's down-on-her-luck elocution/etiquette teacher (whom Raft has employed to better herself). With later movies entirely built around her witty sex appeal, it's offbeat here to see West as a figure of sisterhood--she's everybody's pal, and a liberating influence on the more conventional women here. Of course it made complete sense when films were built around her, but it's still nice to see her unique personality adapt to the humbler status of a supporting role here. Otherwise, the movie is entertaining but unremarkable, with an unconvincing fadeout, because we can't quite believe Raft's infatuation with Constance Cummings has a true-love future--whereas we understood all too well why he decided earlier that it doesn't.
In her star vehicles (as well as, presumably, her stage ones), Mae was the center of the universe, attracting no end of avid male admirers she treats with blase good humor. But here most of her interactions are with women--yes, she enters because she's old friends with Raft's character, but settles in to become fast friends with both the society ingenue and Allison Skipworth's down-on-her-luck elocution/etiquette teacher (whom Raft has employed to better herself). With later movies entirely built around her witty sex appeal, it's offbeat here to see West as a figure of sisterhood--she's everybody's pal, and a liberating influence on the more conventional women here. Of course it made complete sense when films were built around her, but it's still nice to see her unique personality adapt to the humbler status of a supporting role here. Otherwise, the movie is entertaining but unremarkable, with an unconvincing fadeout, because we can't quite believe Raft's infatuation with Constance Cummings has a true-love future--whereas we understood all too well why he decided earlier that it doesn't.