Jack La Rue plays a nightclub owner whom is keen to climb the social ladder and to swap his girlfriend for another with 'more class'. Given some of the people he is mixing with, including the double-crossing criminal he shoots, this hardly seems an unreasonable ambition. And with La Rue failing to come over as remotely menacing, you end up feeling rather sorry for him. So as a story it doesn't really work and I can understand those who found it all dreadfully dull. Though I found quite a bit to enjoy, including the opening sweeping views of the West-End of 1938 at night, and the nightclub scenes with the banter and the revelry that take up so much of the running time, including the amusing performance from the young Googie Withers, as well as the clothes of the period. A curiosity is the number of American actors involved. Surely they had not all made the long journey to Elstree to make a picture that was only ever going to be a supporting feature?
12 Reviews
B Gangster Movie.
rmax3048231 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
B Gangster Movie. The eponymous "Soho" is in London, not Manhattan. The rather dull tale takes place in the fancy night club run by the American gangster, Jack La Rue, which I suppose would be "Jack of the street" in French -- if his real name weren't Gaspare Biondilillo. His dark, villainous looks and his oily performance, come out one step below George Raft. He annoys me even more because I keep getting him mixed up with "Lash" La Rue. They're simply going to have to change their names post mortem if I'm going to keep them straight.
Bernard Lee, in a prominent role, is almost unrecognizably youthful as an ambitious reporter. Arthur O'Connell IS unrecognizable as one of La Rue's goons except for one monstrous five-second close up. The woman in question, a blond mole working for the police, is Sandra Storme, who can't really act and isn't especially beautiful, but who has an angular and fragile figure that prompts thoughts of nurturance in the viewer. She looks as if you could take one of her long bones and snap it in two like a breadstick in an Italian restaurant.
I'm kind of just skimming the plot because it's not very original or even interesting. One of La Rue's gangster subordinates threatens to take over the mob or go to the police. He produces a pistol. La Rue shoots him dead and the other goons dump the body in a doorway on the street. The police inspector, Walker Martin, who is always poking people and things with his brolly, suspects La Rue and his gang and enlists the aid of chorus girl Storme to get enough evidence to convict him.
There are a couple of cute and amusing scenes. When the inspector shows up at a murder scene, the two thugs act as if the dead body is merely a sick friend who had a "rough crossing" on the ferry. "His temperature is going' down, boss. I think he's getting' better." "I don't think he'll get any worse."
And when the inspector asks Googie Withers if she knows anyone who might have murdered the victim, she replies in all sincerity, "All I can think of is that it must have been someone who didn't like him very much."
Here's the most nearly original element of the plot. Jack La Rue's character -- who has "ideas above his station" as the Brits might put it -- calls for an outright greedy, egocentric, and libidinous thug. Instead the writers have made him almost sympathetic, despite all that snarling. It's easy to sympathize with him when the realization that he's been betrayed by a spy he was in love with finally sinks in.
Ditto at the climax. La Rue is about to flee to France with all his money but stops for a last look around his night club where dozens of customers are enjoying themselves. A former girl friend sneaks up behind him. La Rue had dismissed her earlier: "I don't mean to be unkind but you've got no class." But La Rue, for all his canniness, has forgotten that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
The first hour drags monotonously. Bernard Miles has nothing to do but show up once in a while until he can collect the virtuous blond at the end. The film matures a bit during its last half hour.
Bernard Lee, in a prominent role, is almost unrecognizably youthful as an ambitious reporter. Arthur O'Connell IS unrecognizable as one of La Rue's goons except for one monstrous five-second close up. The woman in question, a blond mole working for the police, is Sandra Storme, who can't really act and isn't especially beautiful, but who has an angular and fragile figure that prompts thoughts of nurturance in the viewer. She looks as if you could take one of her long bones and snap it in two like a breadstick in an Italian restaurant.
I'm kind of just skimming the plot because it's not very original or even interesting. One of La Rue's gangster subordinates threatens to take over the mob or go to the police. He produces a pistol. La Rue shoots him dead and the other goons dump the body in a doorway on the street. The police inspector, Walker Martin, who is always poking people and things with his brolly, suspects La Rue and his gang and enlists the aid of chorus girl Storme to get enough evidence to convict him.
There are a couple of cute and amusing scenes. When the inspector shows up at a murder scene, the two thugs act as if the dead body is merely a sick friend who had a "rough crossing" on the ferry. "His temperature is going' down, boss. I think he's getting' better." "I don't think he'll get any worse."
And when the inspector asks Googie Withers if she knows anyone who might have murdered the victim, she replies in all sincerity, "All I can think of is that it must have been someone who didn't like him very much."
Here's the most nearly original element of the plot. Jack La Rue's character -- who has "ideas above his station" as the Brits might put it -- calls for an outright greedy, egocentric, and libidinous thug. Instead the writers have made him almost sympathetic, despite all that snarling. It's easy to sympathize with him when the realization that he's been betrayed by a spy he was in love with finally sinks in.
Ditto at the climax. La Rue is about to flee to France with all his money but stops for a last look around his night club where dozens of customers are enjoying themselves. A former girl friend sneaks up behind him. La Rue had dismissed her earlier: "I don't mean to be unkind but you've got no class." But La Rue, for all his canniness, has forgotten that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
The first hour drags monotonously. Bernard Miles has nothing to do but show up once in a while until he can collect the virtuous blond at the end. The film matures a bit during its last half hour.
"So long, Joe..."
richardchatten31 August 2021
Yet another British crime film presenting Soho as synonymous with glamour and vice, this particular variation on the theme being plush but garrulous.
As usual the supporting cast provides such compensations as Googie Withers cast against type as a dizzy blonde and a young, moustacheless Arthur O'Connell billed eighth as a half-witted gunsel called 'Lefty'. (O'Connell was appearing in the West End in 'Golden Boy' at the time, hence his unexpected presence in a pre-war British quickie.)
As usual the supporting cast provides such compensations as Googie Withers cast against type as a dizzy blonde and a young, moustacheless Arthur O'Connell billed eighth as a half-witted gunsel called 'Lefty'. (O'Connell was appearing in the West End in 'Golden Boy' at the time, hence his unexpected presence in a pre-war British quickie.)
Dull And Lifeless
NoirFan6222 August 2004
A dreadfully boring, dull and lifeless "crime" film that was originally released in the UK as MURDER IN SOHO in 1939 and then released in the States as MURDER IN THE NIGHT in 1940. I watched this last night and even at about only 70 minutes, the film dragged and nearly had me nodding off a couple of times. The film stars Jack La Rue as this big time night club owner and "criminal" who wants only things that the finer parts of life can offer. La Rue actually comes off as likable and is hard to take seriously as a gangster. As a matter of fact, if you look quickly at him from time to time, he resembles Ricky Ricardo! Sandra Storme gives a horrid performance as the new night club act who's help is requested by Scotland Yard to help put an end to La Rue's "criminal reign". A total of four gunshots are fired in the film and there is absolutely no action. Instead you get nearly 70 minutes of hokey dialogue, song and dance and terrible stabs at comedic relief. All in all, a pretty awful movie.
Draggy Doings
dbborroughs19 April 2004
This is an odd mix of British crime drama and American gangster film that is a bit too slow, even at 70 minutes.
The plot has to do with a nightclub in London that's run by an American gangster. Through the doors come an assortment of quirky characters. Marco, the gangster, is running a variety of rackets on the side which the police suspect but can't prove. While people party out side Marco kills someone in his office, just as an inspector, arrives to nose around.
If that sounds exciting, it really isn't. This is a good idea, not very well handled since much of the film is taken up by scenes in the club with the various people coming having a good time. There's romance, lots of humor and some nice acting but the film has the feel of one of the quota films that were produced in England in the 1930's and 40's as a way of keeping the British film industry alive. While this produced many classics, it also produced many duds and near misses. This is a near miss.
If you see it and you don't mind a too slowly paced film, then by all means, but anyone looking for a movie that moves best look elsewhere.
The plot has to do with a nightclub in London that's run by an American gangster. Through the doors come an assortment of quirky characters. Marco, the gangster, is running a variety of rackets on the side which the police suspect but can't prove. While people party out side Marco kills someone in his office, just as an inspector, arrives to nose around.
If that sounds exciting, it really isn't. This is a good idea, not very well handled since much of the film is taken up by scenes in the club with the various people coming having a good time. There's romance, lots of humor and some nice acting but the film has the feel of one of the quota films that were produced in England in the 1930's and 40's as a way of keeping the British film industry alive. While this produced many classics, it also produced many duds and near misses. This is a near miss.
If you see it and you don't mind a too slowly paced film, then by all means, but anyone looking for a movie that moves best look elsewhere.
A decent film and worth a watch...
mch24692 March 2022
I like a lot of the films from British cinema around this time and this film is no different..... there is one small question I have about the cast of this film..... I don't think I have seen a British film of this time with so many American actors .... after the war it was usually a method to attract audiences in U. K. and hopefully the USA ..... but this film is pre war and has about half a dozen American actors of whom none were the usual yanks you might see..... I did read that the main protagonist here was part of a stage production that went over to the West End or London theatres..... around this time.... and I think that production involved Orson Welles company so I wondered if the American actors in this film were all in the U. K. together for this West End production and that this cast or members of it were offered the film together because they were over in the U. K. and someone saw an opportunity to make a British crime film full of American actors, which would have been very unusual at this time mainly because budgets would not allow it, ie, to bring American actors over to Britain and put them up for the duration of the filming..... so I would like to know how this American cast got into a budget British film and just around the time that the USA was telling all its citizens to return from Europe and the U. K. because of the situation with Germany and Russia who were both gearing up to invade Poland in September of '39..... if you enjoy these old British crime films then you will enjoy this even if it's just for the unusually large American cast...
early effort in 3 careers.
malcolmgsw2 July 2009
Given that the other reviews on this film come from the US i thought that i would give a British viewpoint.There are 3 actors in this film at the beginnings of their respective careers.Firstly there is Bernard Lee in his 7th film playing a journalist investigating a nightclub shooting.This being a quota quickie we do not get to see his newspaper office for reasons of economy.Googie Withers is here playing in her 16th film since her film career started in 1935.Finally James Hayter long before he became associated with Mr Kiplings Cakes or ended up behind the counter in Grace Brothers. As the producers obviously wanted to sell the film to the States they have cast Jack La Rue as the night club owner and his 2 henchman have dreadful American accents.La Rue rather resembles Eduardo Cianelli but with half the menace. Unfortunately it isn't a very good film and some of the acting is so awful it has to be seen to be believed.So not one of the shining moments of British cinema.
Not a bad b movie.
Sleepin_Dragon17 August 2023
A Soho Night club run by American gangster Steve Marco, is a thriving hotspot for the young and fabulous, but it's also the scene of a murder, a man threatens to expose the owner's dodgy past, and gets killed for his troubles.
It's actually a pretty solid film, the story isn't bad at all, it's interesting enough, even if it is one you've seen several times before.
It's nicely shot, and pretty well paced, it is quite dialogue heavy in parts, but it still moves about pretty well.
Watch it because you love the era, the opulent decadence of it, expect glitzy sets and incredible fashions, an era where people clearly knew what style and sophistication was.
The casting was good, it's a very competent, glamorous cast, Jack La Rue is good as the villain of the piece, rugged and roguish, he definitely had presence.
Sandra Storme and the wonderful Google Withers both played their parts very well.
6/10.
It's actually a pretty solid film, the story isn't bad at all, it's interesting enough, even if it is one you've seen several times before.
It's nicely shot, and pretty well paced, it is quite dialogue heavy in parts, but it still moves about pretty well.
Watch it because you love the era, the opulent decadence of it, expect glitzy sets and incredible fashions, an era where people clearly knew what style and sophistication was.
The casting was good, it's a very competent, glamorous cast, Jack La Rue is good as the villain of the piece, rugged and roguish, he definitely had presence.
Sandra Storme and the wonderful Google Withers both played their parts very well.
6/10.
I fell asleep during the middle
BILLYBOY-109 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
It's a British entry from 1939 takes place in a nightclub in London. Staring is the evil LaRue and some unknown mousy thing he falls for cause she's got class. LaRue kills a double crosser who turns out to be Ms. Class' ex-husband. Then the suave police inspector arrives with his cane and investigates. He's dapper. Scenes and shots of the activity in the snazzy nightclub. Twists. Turns. Finally, LaRue has to split in a hurry and his old flame who he dumped for Ms. Class begs him to take her on his escape to France from London, she shoves her aside, so she shoots him. Police arrive. LaRue's henchmen are rounded up. Miss Class ends up marrying someone, whoever. Whatever. It's not an awful movie, it's just mediocre. Ho-Hum.
JACK LA RUE RUNS A HIGHCLASS NIGHTCLUB
junglered-691-68298010 July 2023
I watched this movie recently, after reading all the mostly bad reviews on here, & enjoyed it. Its nice to see ruggedly handsome Jack La Rue play the gangster nightclub owner. He is very charming and suave, but when he cracks, its like lightening. There are a lot of great characters in this relatively short film, & amusing moments. Australian born Googie Withers stands out in a rather light headed Billie Burke type role, as part of a comedy duo, waiting for their big break. There are a couple of running gags, the guys who look after the boss playing darts all day, & the couple playing the slot machine. I also liked a part of the dance floor opening up in a circular platform, that goes down then up.
Not for one moment was I bored, the clothes and sets are great, & Jack La Rue holds his own, in this curiosity set in Soho.
Not for one moment was I bored, the clothes and sets are great, & Jack La Rue holds his own, in this curiosity set in Soho.
murder in the night aka murder in soho
ksf-25 April 2023
Jack la rue is steve marco, owner of the cotton club in london. Just as someone gets murdered in his club, the coppers show up. Although the questioning goes like a sketch from the three stooges. Lots of drinking, partying. The picture quality on the version I saw is just terrible. Various scenes are all faded, blurred, and washed out white. The sound is passable, but not great. It's a lot of work to get through this one, with the so-so story, something about gangsters, vaudeville acts, missing pearls. The shady acting, and the snap, crackle, and pops. The only notable thing here is bernard lee, who will play "m" in the bond films twenty years later. Directed by brit norman lee, for associated british pictures. Not likely to be restored, so skip this one.
Dull And Lifeless
swfan6219 August 2004
A dreadfully boring, dull and lifeless "crime" film that was originally released in the UK as MURDER IN SOHO in 1939 and then released in the States as MURDER IN THE NIGHT in 1940. I watched this last night and even at about only 70 minutes, the film dragged and nearly had me nodding off a couple of times. The film stars Jack La Rue as this big time night club owner and "criminal" who wants only things that the finer parts of life can offer. La Rue actually comes off as likable and is hard to take seriously as a gangster. As a matter of fact, if you look quickly at him from time to time, he resembles Ricky Ricardo! Sandra Storme gives a horrid performance as the new night club act who's help is requested by Scotland Yard to help put an end to La Rue's "criminal reign". A total of four gunshots are fired in the film and there is absolutely no action. Instead you get nearly 70 minutes of hokey dialogue, song and dance and terrible stabs at comedic relief. All in all, a pretty awful movie.
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