Cathy O’Donnell and Farley Granger are on the run in “They Live By Night”

They Live By Night (1948) is an American film noir directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Cathy O’Donnell and Farley Granger. Howard Da Silva, Jay C. Flippen, Helen Craig, and Ian Wolfe round out the supporting cast. The film was based on the novel Thieves Like Us (1937) by Edward Anderson. The film was produced by John Houseman, with cinematography by George E. Diskant (The Racket, The Narrow Margin), and music by Leigh Harline (Pinocchio, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House).

 Arthur “Bowie” Bowers (Granger), a 23-year-old convicted of murder when he was 16. He escapes from prison with two older bank robbers, Chicamaw (Da Silva) and T-Dub (Flippen). The three escapees, shelter with Chicamaw’s brother and niece, Catherine “Keechie” Mobley (O’Donnell). Keechie and her uncle operate a service station.

The three plan a bank robbery that goes smoothly, but things take a dark turn when Chicamaw kills a cop after Bowie crashed the getaway car.  Bowie, who is injured, is left in the care of Keechie as Chicamaw joins T-Dub in another town. Bowie and Keechie grow close and end up at a chapel that performs weddings for $20. The two are now on the run from the law. Will their story have a happy ending?

Cathy O’Donnell and Farley Granger

Nicholas Ray (1911 – 1979) was an American film director. Some of his best known films include They Live By Night (1948), In A Lonely Place (1950), Johnny Guitar (1954), Rebel Without a Cause (1955). His films influenced directors Joseph H. Lewis, Arthur Penn, Terrence Malick, and Robert Altman. Later in his career, he directed the big screen epics King of Kings (1961) and 55 Days at Peking (1963) starring Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and David Niven.

Cathy O’Donnell (1923 - 1970) was an American actress best known for her roles in The Best Years of Our Lives, They Live by Night (1948), and Ben-Hur (1959) where she played Tirzah, the sister of Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston). She appeared on the small screen on Perry Mason and Bonanza. She was married to director Wyler’s older brother Robert. She passed away after a long illness on her 22nd wedding anniversary. 

Farley Granger (1925 – 2011) was an American actor best known for his two films with Alfred Hitchcock: Rope (1948) and Strangers on a Train (19510). Signed to a long-term contract by Samuel Goldwyn. He made two films: The North Star (1943) and The Purple Heart (1944) before joining the United States Navy. When he returned to Hollywood he starred in They Live by Night (1948) which brought him to the attention of Hitchcock. Granger went on to star in other Goldwyn films including Enchantment (1948), Roseanna McCoy (1949), Edge of Doom (1950), and Our Very Own (1950). Granger worked in films, stage, and television, including work in several soap operas into the early 2000s.

They Live By Night trivia

• This is Nicholas Ray’s first directing credit.
• Robert Mitchum lobbied hard for the role of Chicamaw.
• The film was made in 1947 but the release was held up for over a year because Howard Hughes was in the process of buying RKO.
• Farley Granger recommended Cathy O’Donnell for the role of Keechie.
• Jane Greer auditioned for the role of Keechie.
• The film lost money when it was released but is considered a classic today; it has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
• The film was remade as Thieves Like Us by Robert Altman. The film starred Keith Carradine and Shelley Duvall.

 

To watch the movie on YouTube, click on the link below.

 

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Discussion questions

1. Was the film realistic in its portrayal of criminal behavior?
2. Did you find any of the characters relatable?
3. Did Granger and O’Donnell have good on-screen chemistry? 
4. The movie, a critical success when released, was a huge financial failure at the box office, losing $445,000 ($5,616,623.03 in 2023). Why do you think this was so?
5. Would you consider this film a classic film noir?
6. Did anything about this film surprise you?