Vigil_in_the_Night Knowpia

Vigil in the Night
Vigil in the Night
	theatrical poster
Directed by	George Stevens
Written by	Fred Guiol; P. J. Wolfson; Rowland Leigh
Based on	Vigil in the Night; 1941 novel; by A. J. Cronin
Produced by	George Stevens
Starring	Carole Lombard; Brian Aherne; Anne Shirley
Cinematography	Robert De Grasse
Edited by	Henry Berman
Music by	Alfred Newman
Production; company	RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Release date	February 9, 1940;
Running time	96 minutes; 102 minutes (US)
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$920,000
Box office	$1,004,000

Vigil in the Night is a 1940 RKO Pictures drama film based on the 1939 serialized novel Vigil in the Night by A. J. Cronin. The film was produced and directed by George Stevens and stars Carole Lombard, Brian Aherne and Anne Shirley.

Plot edit

In Great Britain, nurse Anne Lee takes the blame for a fatal error made by her sister Lucy, also a nurse, 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. Robert 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 and fight a meningitis epidemic that threatens the city's children.

Cast edit

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
Donnie Dunagan as Tommy (uncredited)

Scene from the film

Alternative versions edit

The European release of the film has a slightly different ending: 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 a state of war exists with Germany. As the United States had not yet entered World War II, the American release does not contain the radio message, and a shot of Anne Lee and Dr. Prescott reacting to the news was deleted.