Pre Code Hollywood Season: FD Cinematheque

Night Work (1930)

Director: Russel Mack

Cast: Eddie Quillan, Sally Starr, Frances Upton, John T Murray, Tom Keene, Ben Bard, Robert McVade, Douglas Scott, Addie McPhaill, Kit Guard, Georgia Caine, Georgie Billings, Charles Clary

93 min

Night Work is a Pre Code comedy directed by Russel Mack, released in 1930 and starring Eddie Quillan, Sally Starr and Frances Upton.

Plot

Willie Musher, assistant window-trimmer and jack-of-all-trades at Tracy’s Department Store, consistently shoulders the blame for patrons who deem themselves aggrieved and one day is awarded a $10 bill.

On his way to the bank, he stops to examine a car that is campaigning for funds for an orphans’ home; he holds his bank book in such a way that Mary, a nurse, takes the bill and leaves him a receipt. Later, he is alarmed to learn he has obligated himself to support a baby, but taking an interest in Mary and little Oscar, he gets a job as waiter in a nightclub to support the child. To Willie’s chagrin, he learns that Vanderman, Sr., wants to adopt Oscar, apparently the offspring of his son, Harvey.

Willie dreams of hair-raising stunts to kidnap Oscar; finding that he has been promoted, he proves that Oscar is not Vanderman’s grandson, adopts the boy, and asks Mary to marry him.

Cast


Eddie Quillan	…	Willie
Sally Starr	…	Mary
Frances Upton	…	Aggie
John T. Murray	…	Calloway
Tom Keene	…	Harvey Vanderman (as George Duryea)
Ben Bard	…	Pinkie
Robert McWade	…	Phil Reisman
Douglas Scott	…	Oscar, the Orphan
Addie McPhail	…	Trixie
Kit Guard	…	Squint
Georgia Caine	…	Mrs. Ten Eyck
Georgie Billings	…	Buster (as George Billings)
Charles Clary	…	Mr. Vanderman
Tom Dugan	…	Johnny Harris
Arthur Hoyt	…	George Twining