Night of the Quarter Moon

{{Infobox film

| name = Night of the Quarter Moon

| image = Night of the Quarter Moon poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Hugo Haas

| producer = Albert Zugsmith

| writer = Franklin Coen
Frank Davis

| starring = Julie London
John Drew Barrymore
Anna Kashfi
Dean Jones
Agnes Moorehead
Nat King Cole

| music = Albert Glasser

| cinematography = Ellis W. Carter

| editing = Ben Lewis

| studio = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

| distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

| released = {{Film date|1959|3|4}}

| runtime = 96 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $538,000{{Citation | title = The Eddie Mannix Ledger | publisher = Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study | place = Los Angeles}}

| gross = $940,000

}}

Night of the Quarter Moon is a 1959 American drama film directed by Hugo Haas and written by Franklin Coen and Frank Davis. The film stars Julie London, John Drew Barrymore, Anna Kashfi, Dean Jones, Agnes Moorehead and Nat King Cole. The film was released on March 4, 1959, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.{{cite web|author=HOWARD THOMPS0N |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F02E0D7173DE73ABC4D53DFB5668382649EDE |title=Movie Review – Night of the Quarter Moon – Racial Love Story |work=New York Times |date=1959-03-05 |accessdate=2015-08-21}}{{TCMDb title|924|Night of the Quarter Moon (1959)}}

Plot

A young man returns home with a new bride, but his family objects when they learn she is of mixed race.

Cast

Julie London as Ginny O'Sullivan Nelson
John Drew Barrymore as Roderic "Chuck" Nelson
Anna Kashfi as Maria Robbin
Dean Jones as Lexington Nelson
Agnes Moorehead as Cornelia Nelson
Nat King Cole as Cy Robbin
Ray Anthony as The Hotel Manager
Jackie Coogan as Desk Sergeant Bragan
Charles Chaplin Jr. as Young Thug
Billy Daniels as Headwaiter
Cathy Crosby as Singer
James Edwards as Asa Tully
Arthur Shields as Captain Tom O'Sullivan
Edward Andrews as Clinton Page
Robert Warwick as Judge
Marguerite Belafonte as Hostess

Production

The film was based on an original story by Frank Davis and Franklin Coen. Albert Zugsmith, who had a producing deal with MGM, bought it in September 1957.{{Cite news|title=TIME FOR COMEDY AT MOVIE STUDIOS|work=New York Times|date=Sep 5, 1957|page=33}} Zugsmith gave lead roles to John Drew Barrymore, who had been in the producer's High School Confidential, and Julie London.{{cite news|title=Columnist Offered Part in New Film|author=Hopper, Hedda|date=Aug 6, 1958|work=Los Angeles Times|page=B6}}

Reception

=Box office=

According to MGM records the movie earned $465,000 in the US and Canada and $475,000 elsewhere, making a loss to the studio of $146,000.

=Critical=

It was described by Mae Tinee in a Chicago Tribune review as, "one of the most inept films I've ever encountered [...] contrived and insulting to the intelligence [...] completely tasteless [...] sordid, sexy and senseless [...] contrived and ridiculous [...] a sheer waste of time."{{Cite web|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1959/06/15/page/39/article/inept-movie-tells-sexy-sordid-tale|title=Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers}}

Awards

Anna Kashfi won the Best Supporting Actress Award at the Cartagena Film Festival in 1961.Anna K. Brando and E. P. Stein, Brando for Breakfast, Berkley Pub Group, 1980.