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One Night in Lisbon

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Original title

One Night in Lisbon

Year

1941

Running time

107 min.

Country

United States

Director

Edward H. Griffith

Screenwriter

Virginia Van Upp. Play: John Van Druten

Cast

Music

Victor Young

Cinematography

Bert Glennon (B&W)

Producer

Paramount Pictures

Genre

Comedy. War | II World War. Spy Film

Movie Groups

John Van Druten Adaptations

Synopsis

Prior to America's entry into World War II, Texan pilot Dwight Houston, who had been transporting bombers from a factory in California to England, arrives in London during an air raid and shares a shelter with Leonora Perrycoste, an upper class English woman. Dwight is immediately smitten by Leonora, whom he dubs "Steve," but she is frightened by his relentless flirtation. When the all-clear sounds, she rushes to a party hosted by Catherine Enfilden, a longtime friend of Dwight. Leonora slips out to avoid Dwight but Catherine encourages him to pursue her despite the protests of Leonora's suitor, Commander Peter Walmsley, a handsome and proper Englishman. Leonora resists her growing attraction to Dwight because of protocol, which never stops Dwight. She tries to get out of a lunch date with Dwight by sending Peter to insist that he stop pursuing her. Dwight amiably agrees but then sets up the lunch on the sidewalk where Leonora, who is a volunteer driver for Minister of War Lord Fitzleigh, waits in her car. Leonora refuses to join him, but Lord Fitzleigh is delighted to share lunch with Dwight. During a nighttime air raid, Leonora finally surrenders to her feelings for Dwight, and after they kiss, Dwight asks her to go with him to Lisbon the next day. Fitzleigh, who has already arranged the trip for them, asks her to personally deliver a letter to an English ambassador. In Lisbon, Leonora and Dwight get adjoining rooms in a hotel but are disappointed when they discover that Peter has taken an adjacent room as well. Unknown to Leonora, the hotel clerk is working with German spies who plan to steal Fitzleigh's letter. The spies unsuccessfully attempt to get the letter at a nightclub, where a romantic catastrophe then occurs when Dwight's ex-wife Gerry shows up unexpectedly and befriends Leonora in the powder room. Leonora is shocked to learn that Dwight is a divorcé and this breach of propriety makes her decide to leave Lisbon with Peter. Before she can leave, Leonora is kidnapped by the German spies and held in the hotel basement. The spies, led by Erich Strasser, try to interpret Fitzleigh's letter, which reads, "Of all forms of caution, caution in love is the most fatal," but only Leonora understands the message, which pertains directly to her. Dwight is alarmed by Leonora's disappearance, but Peter explains to him that he was sent as a watchdog by Fitzleigh, who has been trying to round up a ring of German spies and has used Leonora to help achieve this aim. Peter and Dwight locate the entry into the basement, and after knocking out two spies, Fitzleigh appears with British agents to arrest the others. Leonora finally takes Fitzleigh's advice and pledges her love to Dwight.

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User history

One Night in Lisbon

1941

Edward H. Griffith