Night Watch (1928 film)

Night Watch is a 1928 American synchronized sound drama film directed by Alexander Korda and starring Billie Dove, Paul Lukas and Donald Reed. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the sound-on-disc Vitaphone process. The film was an adaptation of the dramatic 1921 play In the Night Watch, written by Michael Morton. The film is set almost entirely on a French warship at the beginning of the First World War. Night Watch was the first of Korda's films to feature sound.

Plot
On the night of August 1, 1914, Commander Corlaix of the French Navy and his wife, Yvonne, arrange a shipboard dinner for the officers of his cruiser. Afterward, Lieutenant D'Artelle asks Yvonne to stay on board with him, and when Corlaix (learning by classified wireless that war has been declared) abruptly orders her from the ship, she goes instead with D'Artelle to his cabin. The ship is sunk by a torpedo, and Corlaix is brought before the Admiralty Court on charges of incompetence. Yvonne comes forward to testify and, by compromising herself, proves her husband's adherence to duty. Corlaix, realizing Yvonne's great love for him, forgives her for her indiscretions, and they are reunited.

Cast

 * Billie Dove as Yvonne Corlaix
 * Paul Lukas as Captain Corlaix
 * Donald Reed as Lieutenant D'Artelle
 * Nicholas Soussanin as Officer Brambourg
 * Nicholas Bela as Leduc
 * George Periolat as Fargasson
 * William H. Tooker as Mobrayne
 * Gusztáv Pártos as Dagorne
 * Anita Garvin as Ann

Music
The theme song for this film was entitled "Yvonne" and was composed by Mortimer Wilson.

Preservation status
A print of Night Watch is preserved at Cineteca Italiana in Milan.