If it wasn't for the fact that there's an IMDB page for this made-for-TV movie, I might think I just imagined that I watched it back in 1975. There are no clips from it on YouTube, no images that a Google search came up with. But I recall liking it a lot and have never forgotten watching it.
First of all, it's a private eye movie, and not only that, it's also set in the Forties. Those two things make me predisposed to like a film. Veteran character Ed Lauter, who has stayed busy in Hollywood for more than four decades now, plays one of his few leading roles as private detective Bud Delaney, who also works as the house dick in a rundown hotel, if my memories of the story are correct. That's really all I recall. IMBD says:
An ex-cop, now a private detective, investigating a gambler's murder finds that there may be a connection between that crime and the jewel robbery at a beautiful movie star's home.
I'll have to take their word for it, but that sounds right. The cast also includes the beautiful Rhonda Fleming and a young Victoria Principal, still several years away from playing Pam Ewing on DALLAS. I recall thinking at the time that the movie was well-made and that I liked the Forties/private eye music.
One thing I had forgotten was the name of the private eye played by Lauter. A couple of years later, I started writing stories about a private eye named Delaney, although I never gave him a first name. I don't recall intentionally naming him after the character in this movie, but I have to wonder if that was still lurking around in my head. At this late date, who knows? I do know that I didn't visualize him as the character for the movie. In my mind he always looked like an obscure character actor named Sandy Kenyon.
So, does anybody else remember watching LAST HOURS BEFORE MORNING?
Comic Cuts — 22 November 2024
2 hours ago
9 comments:
No, I don't remember it at all.
These new word verifications are a pain. I took mine down but I am getting lots of spam. I wish blogger would change it.
Looks like the working title was DELANEY...someone will sell you a shooting script:
http://www.ioffer.com/i/last-hours-before-morning-script-victoria-principle-75-145160387
...even if they don't know how to spell Victoria Principal's name...
As soon as you said Rhonda Fleming, I was hooked. I hope I can post my comment after I prove I'm not a robot.
Ed Lynskey
I turned off the word verification. We'll see how that goes. If I start getting too much spam, I may have to turn it back on. The old system wasn't bad, but I don't like the new one at all.
Yep, I remember watching this film and wondering why Ed Lauter didn't do more Delaney movies. Thumbs up from me.
RJR
Yes, I remember the movie fondly, but I've had no success in finding it for sale on the Web. I continue to search in hope, though ...
Cheers,
Jeff
I don't know how much detail you want, but, I remember it pretty clearly. SPOILER ALERT ! In a nutshell, the murder centered around an up and coming Hollywood starlet, played by Principal, who was hiding her African-American heritage. This was a very early appearance of hers, and makeup gave her a slightly exotic look. Much like real actress of the era, Acquanetta, whose own heritage is tough to track. Set in the post WW II forties, this would have been a big deal. Well done for a 70s TV flick, Lauter stands out.
Todd, shooting script at link is listed as no longer available.
James, this TV Movie used to show up all the time on late night TV in NYC during the late seventies and eighties. It was one of the seventies TV films that stayed with me, along with Darren McGavin's "The Challenge" and most of the ABC Movies of the Week.
I've been looking for years for even a bootleg copy of "Last Hours Before Morning", but all I find is a copy of the script on IOFFER and other places. But I found one image of Ed Lauter as Bud Delaney. See this link.
http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/2013/10/lauters-quiet-command.html
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