AllMovie

So Ends Our Night is a surprisingly neglected wartime propaganda drama, predating America's entry into the war by several months. That "propaganda" tag can be debated, which is a positive indication that the filmmakers did their job better than many other propaganda films of the period, but the forced message that is presented does ring a bit false, even if its sentiments and viewpoint are totally honorable. Night would have been even more effective had its screenplay had not been so repetitive, or some of the scrapes presented not come across as so artificial. The film could also have stood to lose fifteen or so minutes. That said, there is much to recommend in Night, starting with the excellent production design from William Cameron Menzies. This is an especially important factor in the film's success, as the many foreign locations and atmospheres had to be made abundantly clear in visual terms, and Menzies succeeded admirably. Also first rate is William H. Daniels' cinematography, which films through overhanging set pieces quite effectively. John Cromwell's direction, though lacking in pace, keeps the disparate threads knotted together. The film's trio of stars come off well, with Fredric March perhaps the most successful. Margaret Sullavan is a tad too old for her role, and Glenn Ford a tad too inexperienced, but both are quite good overall. Even better are supporting players Anna Sten, Erich Von Stroheim and Frances Dee; the scene in which March must tell Dee good-bye without attracting attention is a marvel.