This film reminded me of the "Perils of (fill in the blank)" comics and adventure stories brought to the screen. The beautiful, innocent heroine repeatedly finds herself in precarious situations through no fault of her own or by trying to do what she conceives to be the moral thing. Yet she escapes unmarked and unmolested although she occasionally has to suffer the loss of her clothes. In the end she emerges whole in the arms of a strong, virile man to whom she willingly and demurely submits. This pretty much describes "Daniella by Night". The scenario here is the world of espionage although these guys are pretty lame spies. Anyway it doesn't really matter because the focus is Elke Sommer. This vastly underrated actor carries the film. Without her it wouldn't even be worthy of the title of "worst flick ever". She seems to float through the action in - or out of - her designer clothes, radiant and smiling, blissfully unaware or unconcerned of the danger around the corner. It's a chic romp with noir overtones, clever use of shadows, slick camera work and a fantastic jazz score. Good fun with erotic undertones.
6 Reviews
maybe confusing, but Elke Sommer makes it all worthwhile
lee_eisenberg4 July 2006
The theme song is kinda hokey, but how can you not love a movie starring Elke Sommer? "Zarte Haut in schwarzer Seide" (called "Daniella by Night" in English) casts her as a young German woman who moves to Paris to become a model, only to get involved in slimy business and espionage. A particularly good aspect is the jazz music played throughout the movie. But the scene likely to open anyone's eyes is the striptease. Knowing how hot Elke Sommer is when clothed, wanna try and guess how she looks when unclothed? Anyway, the movie's nothing really special, but her very presence is good enough for me. WHAT A HOT BABE!!!!!!!!
Disappointing!
JohnHowardReid24 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Elke Sommer (Daniella), Ivan Desny (Count Castellani), Danik Patisson (Claudine), Claire Maurier (Esmerelda), Helmut Schmidt (Karl Bauer), Rene Dary (Lanzac), Sandrine (mannequin), and Albert Dinan, Kathy Kaack, Romana Rombach, Brigette Banz, Rudy Lenoir, France Lombard.
Director: MAX PECAS. Screenplay: Wolfgang Steinhardt, Grisha M. Dabat, Max Pecas, Jean Clouzot. Dialogue: Grisha M. Dabat. Based on a novel by W. Ebert. Photography: Andre Germain. Film editor: Paul Cayatte. Art directors: Sidney Bettex, Bob Luchaire. Music: Charles Aznavour, Georges Garvarentz. Production supervisor: Joel Lifschultz. Production managers: Theo Michel, Helmut Deutschman. Sound recording: Severin Frankiel. Producer: Jacques Garcia. Executive producers: Leopold Branover, Rene Thevenet.
Copyright 1961 by Contact Organisation/Paris Interproduction (Paris) —Pandora Films/L. Branover/Cinelux (Berlin). U.S. release through Cambist Films, Audubon Films: November 1962. U.K. release through Gala Film Distributors: March 1962. Australian release through Blake Films. Original running time: 90 minutes. The French version was cut to around 83 minutes for release in the U.S.A. and the U.K. The English-dubbed version released in the U.S.A. and Australia ran around 80 minutes. This latter version was acquired by Paramount for release, primarily to TV, in the U.S.A. French release title: DE QUOI TU TE MELES, DANIELA! Dubbed English version called either DANIELA BY NIGHT (Australia) or DANIELLA BY NIGHT (USA).
SYNOPSIS: Spies hide a secret microfilm in a French model's lipstick case.
COMMENT: So far as New York's generally more sophisticated movie- going populace of the 1950s was concerned, the cinema offered two clear choices: English films or American films. Few people knew even the names, let alone the films, of non-English-speaking actors and actresses. With three notable exceptions: two young ladies from Italy, namely Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren, and France's Brigitte Bardot. Their rise to fame was entirely due to incessant, unremitting press publicity. But aside from one or two of their excursions into English-language movies, their films were not particularly popular in the U.S.A. at large.
In the 1960s, the German actress Elke Sommer followed a similar route. She made her first films in Italy in 1958, shuttled between Italy and Germany in 1959, settled in Germany in 1960 and 1961, moved to Britain for "Don't Bother To Knock" in 1961, and then to France for Douce Violence and others, then to Germany, back to Great Britain for "The Victors" (1963) and then to Hollywood for "The Prize."
And all this time a barrage of pin-up photos decorated the pages of every newspaper in the country almost every day of the week. Naturally this avalanche of free publicity induced a few independent distributors to cash in by actually releasing a couple of Sommer movies. The second to hit New York was this poorly dubbed "Daniella by Night."
"Daniella By Night" emerges as a tepid spy drama. Of course the world of spies was another subject film-makers did to death in the 1950s and 1960s. Aside from the James Bond, the Matt Helm and the Our Man Flint series, spies were a no-no in New York. So Daniella By Night had two strikes against it before a single ticket could be sold. It didn't really matter that it was indifferently directed and mechanically acted as well. I was about the only person who bothered to see it. Miss Sommer was most attractively photographed and costumed, so I was happy.
Though actually I was also surprised. Elke's next film "Douce Violence", made that same year by Max Pecas and much the same production team, had been shown in New York first. And that was quite imaginatively directed. But in Daniella, Pecas exhibits only on two or three occasions the inventive touches that continually enliven Douce.
Ivan Desny is wasted too. And as for the story, its progress reminded me of that early Wright Brothers airplane that took half- an-hour to get off the ground, finally flew a few feet, yet then lumbered clumsily back to earth.
Aside from Elke, the only other thing I can say in praise of Daniella is that the French locations are mildly appealing.
OTHER VIEWS: This French-German co-production was made in two language versions, but neither of them English. It's hard to get involved in a movie in which the dubbing is so obvious and technically deficient. — JHR writing as George Addison.
Director: MAX PECAS. Screenplay: Wolfgang Steinhardt, Grisha M. Dabat, Max Pecas, Jean Clouzot. Dialogue: Grisha M. Dabat. Based on a novel by W. Ebert. Photography: Andre Germain. Film editor: Paul Cayatte. Art directors: Sidney Bettex, Bob Luchaire. Music: Charles Aznavour, Georges Garvarentz. Production supervisor: Joel Lifschultz. Production managers: Theo Michel, Helmut Deutschman. Sound recording: Severin Frankiel. Producer: Jacques Garcia. Executive producers: Leopold Branover, Rene Thevenet.
Copyright 1961 by Contact Organisation/Paris Interproduction (Paris) —Pandora Films/L. Branover/Cinelux (Berlin). U.S. release through Cambist Films, Audubon Films: November 1962. U.K. release through Gala Film Distributors: March 1962. Australian release through Blake Films. Original running time: 90 minutes. The French version was cut to around 83 minutes for release in the U.S.A. and the U.K. The English-dubbed version released in the U.S.A. and Australia ran around 80 minutes. This latter version was acquired by Paramount for release, primarily to TV, in the U.S.A. French release title: DE QUOI TU TE MELES, DANIELA! Dubbed English version called either DANIELA BY NIGHT (Australia) or DANIELLA BY NIGHT (USA).
SYNOPSIS: Spies hide a secret microfilm in a French model's lipstick case.
COMMENT: So far as New York's generally more sophisticated movie- going populace of the 1950s was concerned, the cinema offered two clear choices: English films or American films. Few people knew even the names, let alone the films, of non-English-speaking actors and actresses. With three notable exceptions: two young ladies from Italy, namely Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren, and France's Brigitte Bardot. Their rise to fame was entirely due to incessant, unremitting press publicity. But aside from one or two of their excursions into English-language movies, their films were not particularly popular in the U.S.A. at large.
In the 1960s, the German actress Elke Sommer followed a similar route. She made her first films in Italy in 1958, shuttled between Italy and Germany in 1959, settled in Germany in 1960 and 1961, moved to Britain for "Don't Bother To Knock" in 1961, and then to France for Douce Violence and others, then to Germany, back to Great Britain for "The Victors" (1963) and then to Hollywood for "The Prize."
And all this time a barrage of pin-up photos decorated the pages of every newspaper in the country almost every day of the week. Naturally this avalanche of free publicity induced a few independent distributors to cash in by actually releasing a couple of Sommer movies. The second to hit New York was this poorly dubbed "Daniella by Night."
"Daniella By Night" emerges as a tepid spy drama. Of course the world of spies was another subject film-makers did to death in the 1950s and 1960s. Aside from the James Bond, the Matt Helm and the Our Man Flint series, spies were a no-no in New York. So Daniella By Night had two strikes against it before a single ticket could be sold. It didn't really matter that it was indifferently directed and mechanically acted as well. I was about the only person who bothered to see it. Miss Sommer was most attractively photographed and costumed, so I was happy.
Though actually I was also surprised. Elke's next film "Douce Violence", made that same year by Max Pecas and much the same production team, had been shown in New York first. And that was quite imaginatively directed. But in Daniella, Pecas exhibits only on two or three occasions the inventive touches that continually enliven Douce.
Ivan Desny is wasted too. And as for the story, its progress reminded me of that early Wright Brothers airplane that took half- an-hour to get off the ground, finally flew a few feet, yet then lumbered clumsily back to earth.
Aside from Elke, the only other thing I can say in praise of Daniella is that the French locations are mildly appealing.
OTHER VIEWS: This French-German co-production was made in two language versions, but neither of them English. It's hard to get involved in a movie in which the dubbing is so obvious and technically deficient. — JHR writing as George Addison.
early 60's french wackyness
googlemorf26 July 2001
This one has a great jazz score, a peek-a-boo nude scene of star Elke Summer, spys and double crosses, action and killing, and yet it's all kinda slow. I found it a little confusing and my attention wandered, though I did like the look of early 60's France, with the clothes and the hairstyles. The print on the DVD could have been better: Lots of scratches. I wouldn't be surprised if it was transfered from a 16mm print. The trailer included is more entertaining.
Confusing spy film with young Elke!
shepardjessica2 September 2004
This is basically a mess with a lovely as always Ms. Sommer and good jazz score. Decent location work, but the script is all over the place. I don't know if this made money in the early 60's, probably did. The presence of a 20 y/o Elke Sommer (very well cast) helps it along, but there's no where to go with this story.
A 3 out of 10. Best performance = Elke Sommer. Slight nudity and cool clubs don't make up for the stuttering lack of balance or control. Some beautiful girls, lots of smoking and slick maneuvers by the men doesn't translate into cohesive story. But Elke fans should check this one out (very early in her career) pre-America.
A 3 out of 10. Best performance = Elke Sommer. Slight nudity and cool clubs don't make up for the stuttering lack of balance or control. Some beautiful girls, lots of smoking and slick maneuvers by the men doesn't translate into cohesive story. But Elke fans should check this one out (very early in her career) pre-America.
The Dangers Of Modeling...
azathothpwiggins28 September 2021
Beautiful fashion model, Daniella (Elke Sommer) travels from Munich to Rome for her big break. Another model has been killed, leaving a spot for Daniella.
Since this isn't just a film about professional modeling, Daniella is quickly caught up in a world of blackmail, espionage, and murder.
DANIELLA BY NIGHT is an excellent crime-thriller. Of course, it's main strength is Ms. Sommer herself. Thankfully, she's in just about every scene. Her fans will be delighted to know that, yes, she does display her birthday suit. It's pretty tame, shot through a thin curtain.
The jazzy soundtrack is quite good, especially the recurring theme song: "Oh, Daniella". Great fun!...
Since this isn't just a film about professional modeling, Daniella is quickly caught up in a world of blackmail, espionage, and murder.
DANIELLA BY NIGHT is an excellent crime-thriller. Of course, it's main strength is Ms. Sommer herself. Thankfully, she's in just about every scene. Her fans will be delighted to know that, yes, she does display her birthday suit. It's pretty tame, shot through a thin curtain.
The jazzy soundtrack is quite good, especially the recurring theme song: "Oh, Daniella". Great fun!...
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