London by Night (film)

London by Night is a 1937 American murder mystery film directed by Wilhelm Thiele and starring George Murphy, Rita Johnson and Virginia Field. It marked the screen debut of Johnson who while shooting the film also unsuccessfully tested to replace Jean Harlow in Saratoga. Gossip columnist Louella Parsons drew attention to her as a rising star.^[2] It was based on an unproduced play The Umbrella by British writer William Matthew Scott.

London by Night
File:File:London by Night (film).jpg
Directed by	Wilhelm Thiele
Written by	George Oppenheimer
Based on	The Umbrella (play) by William Matthew Scott
Produced by	Sam Zimbalist
Starring	George Murphy Rita Johnson Virginia Field
Cinematography	Leonard Smith
Edited by	George Boemler
Music by	William Axt
Production company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Loew's Inc.
Release date	July 30, 1937 (1937-07-30)
Running time	69 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$200,000[1]
Box office	$321,000[1]

George Murphy in the film

Plot

A London-based newspaperman is about to head for Paris for his first vacation in three years when he becomes embroiled by the murder of a shopkeeper in the square where he lives, followed shortly afterwards by the shooting of a police constable.

Working alongside Inspector Jefferson of Scotland Yard he encounters a spirited socialite when he accosts her family's butler whom he wrongly suspects is the killer. Public alarm rises further when a barmaid at a nearby pub is also killed.

Cast

• George Murphy as Michael Denis
• Rita Johnson as Patricia Herrick
• Virginia Field as Bessie
• Leo G. Carroll as Correy
• George Zucco as Inspector Jefferson
• Montagu Love as Sir Arthur Herrick
• Eddie Quillan as Bill
• Leonard Mudie as Squires
• J.M. Kerrigan as Tims
• Neil Fitzgerald as Inspector Sleet
• Harry Stubbs as Postman
• Ivan F. Simpson as Burroughs
• Frank Baker as Walker
• Leyland Hodgson as Maddow
• Robert Adair as Bobby
• Harry Allen as Glazer
• Colin Kenny as Scotland Yard Detective
• William Bailey as Scotland Yard Detective

Box office

According to MGM records the movie earned $187,000 in the US and Canada and $134,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $3,000.^[1]