TCM’s Film Noir of the Week Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at Midnight and 10 a.m. ET is Fritz Lang’s Clash by Night (1952) with Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan, Marilyn Monroe, J. Carrol Naish and Keith Andes

By David in TN
friday, march 21, 2025 at 4:38:00 p.m. edt

TCM’s Film Noir of the Week Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at Midnight and 10 a.m. ET is Fritz Lang’s Clash by Night (1952) with Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan, Marilyn Monroe, J. Carrol Naish and Keith Andes

Film Noir Guide: “A top-notch cast brings new life to this screen version of Clifford Odets’ failed Broadway play. Stanwyck plays a world-weary woman who returns to her fishing community after a decade of big-city disillusionment. A bulky big-hearted fisherman (Douglas) quickly falls in love with her.

“During their courtship, Douglas makes the mistake of introducing Stanwyck to his buddy (Ryan), an embittered misogynist, who spends his free time hitting the bottle and worrying about his faithless stripper wife. Stanwyck, who is looking for ‘a man who isn’t mean and doesn’t hate women,’ takes an instant dislike to Ryan, and when she becomes aware of the sexual tension between them, she agrees to marry the dumfounded Douglas, who can’t believe his good luck.

“After Ryan’s wife divorces him, he makes his move on Stanwyck, who by now is bored with playing housewife and mother. Andes is Stanwyck’s brother, unenthusiastic about her sudden return, especially since his gorgeous steady (Monroe) is an admirer of Stanwyck’s daring and independence.

“Veteran character actor Naish plays Douglas’ moocher uncle. Stanwyck is good as the faithless but guilt-stricken wife, as is Douglas as the overly trusting and quick-to-forgive cuckold. But the film belongs to Ryan, as Douglas’ cynical ‘friend.’ Fans who prefer a dash of crime with their noir might not enjoy this soap opera.”

David in TN: In his outro last week Eddie Muller said this film features “the greatest star in movie history,” by whom he meant Monroe. This is another of Ryan’s bad guy roles. He was believable as a misogynist.

N.S.: Red Eddie has said that he thinks that Barbara Stanwyck was the greatest actress of them all. I put her in the top five of American actresses, with Bette Davis as the queen. Then come Irene Dunne, Jean Arthur, Kate Hepburn and Stanwyck.

I saw this several years ago, and it's worth watching, because the principals' performances are so good.