Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948)
A haunting film noir where a tormented seer races against fate to save an heiress from a doom he has already witnessed in his mind.
Night Has a Thousand Eyes - Movie Information
- Original Title: Night Has a Thousand Eyes
- Release Year: 1948
- Directed by: John Farrow
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Thriller, Mystery
- Age Rating (US): NR
- Runtime: 1h 21m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): August 20, 1948 (United Kingdom), October 13, 1948 (United States - NR), March 18, 1949 (France - U)
- Alternative Titles: Nuit a mille yeux (FR)
- Production Companies: Paramount Pictures
- Production Countries: United States of America
Night Has a Thousand Eyes - Plot
When heiress Jean Courtland attempts suicide, her fiancée Elliott Carson probes her relationship with John Triton. In flashback, we see how stage mentalist Triton starts having terrifying flashes of true precognition. Now years later, he desperately tries to prevent tragedies in the Courtland family.
Night Has a Thousand Eyes - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the atmosphere of dread unfold:
NEVER HAVE THE STARS LOOKED DOWN...ON AN ADVENTURE LIKE THIS !
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Night Has a Thousand Eyes - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- John Farrow
Main Cast
- Edward G. Robinson
- Gail Russell
- John Lund
- Virginia Bruce
- William Demarest
- Richard Webb
- Jerome Cowan
- Onslow Stevens
- John Alexander
- Roman Bohnen
Writers
- Jonathan Latimer
- Barré Lyndon
Producers
- Endre Bohem
Night Has a Thousand Eyes - FAQs
What is Night Has a Thousand Eyes about?
Night Has a Thousand Eyes follows John Triton, a stage mentalist who discovers his fake psychic act has given way to genuine, terrifying precognition. When heiress Jean Courtland attempts suicide, her fiancé investigates Triton's connection to her family — and his desperate attempts to prevent a deadly fate he has already foreseen.
Who are the main actors in Night Has a Thousand Eyes?
Edward G. Robinson leads the cast as the tormented seer John Triton, alongside Gail Russell as heiress Jean Courtland and John Lund as her fiancé Elliott Carson. Virginia Bruce, William Demarest, Jerome Cowan, and Onslow Stevens round out the strong supporting ensemble.
Is Night Has a Thousand Eyes based on a true story?
No, Night Has a Thousand Eyes is not based on a true story. It is adapted from Cornell Woolrich's 1945 novel of the same name. Woolrich was a master of suspense fiction, and the story is a work of imagination exploring fate, precognition, and the burden of foreknowledge.
Can fate really be changed in Night Has a Thousand Eyes?
That question sits at the very heart of the film. John Triton's visions appear inevitable, and much of the tension comes from watching him struggle against what he believes is a fixed destiny. The film keeps viewers guessing right up to its haunting conclusion about whether free will can truly overcome prophecy.
Who directed Night Has a Thousand Eyes?
John Farrow directed Night Has a Thousand Eyes. Farrow was a skilled Hollywood craftsman known for his atmospheric noir sensibility, and he brings a brooding, fatalistic tension to this film that perfectly suits Cornell Woolrich's source material.
What genre is Night Has a Thousand Eyes?
Night Has a Thousand Eyes is a Thriller and Mystery, and it sits firmly within the film noir tradition. It blends the shadowy visual style and moral ambiguity of classic noir with a supernatural edge, making it a distinctive and atmospheric entry in late-1940s Hollywood cinema.
What are similar movies to Night Has a Thousand Eyes?
If you enjoy Night Has a Thousand Eyes, you'll likely love other classic noir titles like Out of the Past (1947), Double Indemnity (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), and The Maltese Falcon (1941). For something with a similar supernatural suspense edge, Angel Heart (1987) and Strangers on a Train (1951) are excellent picks.
How long is Night Has a Thousand Eyes?
Night Has a Thousand Eyes runs for 81 minutes, making it a lean, tightly paced thriller. At just over an hour and twenty minutes, it wastes no time building its atmosphere of dread and keeps the tension coiled throughout its compact runtime.
More About Night Has a Thousand Eyes
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