Night Wind
Cast & Crew
James Tinling
Charles Russell
Virginia Christine
Gary Gray
John Ridgely
James Burke
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Young Johnny Benson lives in California with his mother Jean, stepfather Ralph, half sister Margie and German shepherd dog Big Dan. Big Dan and Johnny's real father, John Steele, saved an infantry company during World War II, and Johnny's father was killed while on a mission. Johnny is having difficulty accepting Ralph, a rocket scientist, as his new father. Ralph works with exiled German scientist Dr. Ulding, who lodges with the Bensons. One night, on their way home, Ralph and Ulding give a ride to three hunters, Dick Wilson, Walters and Sheriff Hamilton. Walters leaves his trench coat in the car and, when Ulding goes to return it, Big Dan follows him. After Walters gives the coat, which has the smell of duck blood on it, to Wilson to hang in a shed, Big Dan attacks Wilson and breaks his neck. The sheriff assumes that the killer is a wild wolf-dog and organizes a hunt to track it down. Ralph does not permit Johnny to go along on the hunt but takes Big Dan. During the hunt, Walters attempts to shoot the sheriff but is knocked down by Big Dan and then claims the shooting was an accident. Later, Walters suggests to the sheriff that Big Dan might be the killer. When Ulding keeps a dinner appointment with Walters and his associate, Barlow, he asks to see the trench coat. Barlow goes to get it, but is attacked by Big Dan, who takes off as soon as Walters and Ulding run up. Ulding finds an I.D. tag in the coat for a Capt. C. J. Calvin. Meanwhile, Big Dan sits beside the grave of Johnny's father and remembers an incident during the war when they both were parachuted into a war zone to keep a rendezvous with a Captain Calvin: Unknown to them, the real Captain Calvin has been killed and his identity assumed by a German soldier, Walters--who shoots and kills Steele. Big Dan attacks Walters and rips open his leg but is knocked out by a blow from a shot gun. In the present, the sheriff comes to the Benson home to tell them that Barlow has been killed and that Big Dan's collar was found, clutched in his hand. Ralph has to explain to Johnny that Big Dan may not have been sufficiently detrained by the army and could still be a killer. As the sheriff takes Big Dan away, Walters tries to shoot the dog but is grabbed by Ralph. Later, Ulding tells Ralph that he has sent a telegram to the FBI in an effort to discover why Walters is in possession of a dead army officer's trench coat. Ralph recognizes Calvin's name from Johnny's father's last mission and phones Counter Intelligence. Meanwhile, Johnny packs a bag, goes to the sheriff's station and takes Big Dan from the yard. Before Johnny and Big Dan get far, however, they encounter Ralph, who persuades Johnny to let the law prove Big Dan innocent. Johnny agrees and, in Judge Thorgeson's office, the case is discussed with all concerned parties present. Walters makes his statement, then asks to be excused as he has a plane to catch. Big Dan sees Walters leave and tries to go after him. Johnny pleads with the judge not to have Big Dan destroyed, and Ralph asks him to delay his decision. Big Dan manages to escape and chases after Walters. Meanwhile, Kingston, a Counter Intelligence officer, arrives at Walters' house and begins to interrogate him but Walters knocks him out with his cane. The sheriff, Ralph and Johnny arrive to warn Walters that Big Dan is loose and probably headed his way. As they are about to leave, Big Dan arrives and attacks Walters but Johnny calls him off. The sheriff tells Johnny that he will have to shoot the dog and Johnny bids Big Dan a tearful farewell. However, Kingston recovers and Johnny sees him and calls Ralph. After Kingston explains who he is, Ralph grabs Walters and sends Johnny to stop the sheriff from shooting Big Dan. Johnny now regards his stepfather as a hero, and he and Big Dan are free to play together once again.
Director
James Tinling
Cast
Charles Russell
Virginia Christine
Gary Gray
John Ridgely
James Burke
Konstantin Shayne
William Stelling
Guy Kingsford
Charles Lang
Deanna Woodruff
Flame
William Bakewell
Harry Cheshire
William Benedict
Michael Chapin
Harlan Warde
Crew
Fay Babcock
Arnold Belgard
David Chudnow
William F. Claxton
Perry Finnerman
Cliff R. Gans
Benjamin Kline
Sascha Laurence
Roy V. Livingston
Buddy Longworth
Ray Lopez
C. O. Morris
Robert G. North
Robert G. North
Elaine Ramsey
Earl Sitar
Ralph Stanley
George Van Marter
Paul Wurtzel
Sol M. Wurtzel
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The film's working title was Big Dan, and it was reviewed by Hollywood Reporter under the title Night Watch. Although the film was was not viewed, the credits and summary were taken from a cutting continuity in the Twentieth Century-Fox Produced Scripts Collection at the UCLA Arts-Special Collections Library. According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, location shooting was done in the Santa Monica Mountains.
