They Live by Night (1948)
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- Passed
- 1h 35min
- Crime, Film-Noir
- 05 Nov 1949 (USA)
- Movie
An escaped convict injured during a robbery falls in love with the woman who nurses him back to health, but their relationship seems doomed from the beginning.
Director:
Writers:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Cathy O'Donnell | ... |
Keechie
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| Farley Granger | ... |
Bowie
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| Howard Da Silva | ... |
Chickamaw
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| Jay C. Flippen | ... |
T-Dub
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| Helen Craig | ... |
Mattie
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| Will Wright | ... |
Mobley
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| William Phipps | ... |
Young Farmer
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| Ian Wolfe | ... |
Hawkins
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| Harry Harvey | ... |
Hagenheimer
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| Marie Bryant | ... |
Singer
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| Will Lee | ... |
Jeweler
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| James Nolan | ... |
Schreiber
(as Jim Nolan)
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| Charles Meredith | ... |
Comm. Hubbell
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| Teddy Infuhr | ... |
Alvin
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| Byron Foulger | ... |
Lambert
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Guy Beach | ... |
Plumber
(as Guy L. Beach)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Jane Allen | ... |
Woman (uncredited)
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| Paul Bakanas | ... |
Shadow (uncredited)
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Regan Callais | ... |
Young Wife (uncredited)
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| Lewis Charles | ... |
Auto Lot Attendant (uncredited)
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| Curt Conway | ... |
Man in Tuxedo (uncredited)
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| Suzi Crandall | ... |
Lulu (uncredited)
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Helen Crozier | ... |
Nurse (uncredited)
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Boyd Davis | ... |
Herman (uncredited)
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| Gail Davis | ... |
Girl at Parking Lot (uncredited)
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| James Dobson | ... |
Boy at Parking Lot (uncredited)
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| Ralph Dunn | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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| Frank Ferguson | ... |
Bum (uncredited)
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| Bess Flowers | ... |
Woman at Parking Lot (uncredited)
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Dan Foster | ... |
Groom (uncredited)
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| Fred Graham | ... |
Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
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Eula Guy | ... |
Mrs. Haviland (uncredited)
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N.L. Hitch | ... |
Bus Driver (uncredited)
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| J. Louis Johnson | ... |
Restroom Porter (uncredited)
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Chester Jones | ... |
Waiter in Nightclub (uncredited)
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| Tom Kennedy | ... |
Cop (uncredited)
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| Kate Drain Lawson | ... |
Tillie (uncredited)
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| Frank Marlowe | ... |
Robert Mansfield (uncredited)
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Myra Marsh | ... |
Mrs. Schaeffer (uncredited)
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Marilyn Mercer | ... |
Bride (uncredited)
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Carmen Morales | ... |
Mother on Bus (uncredited)
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Jimmy Moss | ... |
Boy on Bus (uncredited)
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| Stanley Prager | ... |
Short Order Man (uncredited)
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| Erskine Sanford | ... |
Doctor (uncredited)
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| Mickey Simpson | ... |
Shadow (uncredited)
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| Bert Stevens | ... |
Tailor (uncredited)
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Russ Whiteman | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Lynn Whitney | ... |
Waitress (uncredited)
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Douglas Williams | ... |
Drunk (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Nicholas Ray | ||
Written by
| Charles Schnee | ... | (screen play) |
| Nicholas Ray | ... | (adaptation) |
| Edward Anderson | ... | (novel "Thieves Like Us") |
Produced by
| John Houseman | ... | producer |
| Dore Schary | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
Music by
| Leigh Harline | ||
Cinematography by
| George E. Diskant | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Sherman Todd | ||
Art Direction by
| Albert S. D'Agostino | ||
| Alfred Herman | ... | (as Al Herman) |
Set Decoration by
| Darrell Silvera | ||
| Maurice Yates | ||
Costume Design by
| Adele Balkan | ... | (uncredited) |
Makeup Department
| Gordon Bau | ... | makeup supervisor |
| Helen Grizuk | ... | hair stylist (uncredited) |
Production Management
| James H. Anderson | ... | production manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| James Lane | ... | assistant director |
Sound Department
| John L. Cass | ... | sound (as John Cass) |
| Clem Portman | ... | sound |
| Roy Meadows | ... | sound recordist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Russell A. Cully | ... | special effects |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Edward Bergholz | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| Paul Ivano | ... | director of photography: second unit (uncredited) |
| Ollie Sigurdson | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
Music Department
| C. Bakaleinikoff | ... | musical director |
Script and Continuity Department
| Mercy Weireter | ... | script supervisor (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Samuel Goldwyn | ... | appearance by arrangement with: Cathy O'Donnell and Farley Granger |
| Dore Schary | ... | presenter |
| Knute Flint | ... | helicopter pilot (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- RKO Radio Pictures (1948) (United States) (theatrical) (as An R K O Radio Picture)
- RKO Distributing Corporation of Canada (1948) (Canada) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Pictures (1948) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- RKO Pictures (Australasia) (1948) (Australia) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Films (1949) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Pictures Argentina (1949) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Films A/S (1950) (Norway) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Films (1950) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Pictures (1951) (Finland) (theatrical)
- C&C Television Corporation (1955) (United States) (tv)
- Vértice 360 (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (DVD) (as part of the pack 'Sendas torcidas / Sólo se vive una vez')
- Warner Home Video (2007) (United States) (DVD)
- BBC Two (2010) (United Kingdom) (tv)
- The Criterion Collection (2017) (United States) (DVD)
- The Criterion Channel (2021) (United States) (tv) (digital)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (acknowledgement)
- RCA (sound system)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Chickamaw, T-Dub, and Bowie have just escaped from prison. While Chickamaw and T-Dub are hardened criminals--bank robbers--23-year-old Bowie, who has been in prison since he was 16, was wrongly convicted of murder. As he felt he was rotting behind bars, Bowie, when given this opportunity by his two older colleagues, believed his best path forward was to help Chickamaw and T-Dub in their upcoming heists, in a case of knowing there was a payback in they choosing him, to make enough money to hire a lawyer to clear his name of the murder conviction. The plan is to hide out with Chickamaw's alcoholic brother Mobley until they have enough money to make other arrangements. Also with them is Mobley's daughter Keechie, who doesn't much like life with her father or uncle. In their time together, Bowie and Keechie form a bond, both emotional and romantic, and start to dream of a life together in which Bowie would not always need to look behind his back to see the authorities ready to haul him away. Escaping from the obligations to Chickamaw and T-Dub might not be easy for Bowie, but being forever attached to them might mean not having a future with Keechie. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | "We're in a Jam!" See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Box Office
| Budget | $808,397 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | The opening helicopter shot was the first scene that Nicholas Ray ever directed. See more » |
| Goofs | Bowie pays for the mountain cottage twice--once at the property entrance, and again inside the cottage. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Le contrôle de l'univers (1999). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Your Red Wagon See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Opening credits: This boy . . . and this girl . . . were never properly introduced to the world we live in . . . To tell their story . . . See more » |
| Quotes |
Bowie:
You having trouble? Keechie: Could be. Bowie: Who are you? You live around here? Keechie: Could be. Bowie: You haven't had a couple of visitors lately, have you? Keechie: That wouldn't be a sore foot making you limp, would it? Bowie: Could be. See more » |