Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

Mabel Munoz Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

thinker1691 Back in 1954, this spy film appeared on the Silver Screen. When it did, it was not promoted as a spy thriller to audiences. However, this is was one of those particular movies called " Night People " which does produces a bigger bang than one expects. The story as written by Jed Harris and directed by Nunnally Johnson begins slowly and tells of a single United States soldier, Cpl. John Leatherby (Ted Avery) stationed in West Germany shortly after W.W. II. After his kidnapping, the Americans are notified. A noise which is heard in the state department and there after reaches the the parents of the young soldier, who happens to have some very powerful friends, one which takes his millionaire status and starts banging on Washington doors to get his son back. Back in Germany, the problem lands on the stoop of one, Col. Steve Van Dyke (Gregory Peck) who is ordered to resolve the issue. He is an experienced soldier, but is hindered by the boy's Father (Broderick Crawford) who tries to throw his weight around and ably assisted by Sgt. Eddie McColloch (Buddy Ebsen). Dealing with the other major powers controlling the Eastern section of the Berlin Wall, proves a difficult task, what with the rise of the Russians, Ex-Nazis, double agents and political victims all vining for his attention. What we expect as an audience members is a sleeper, instead this film lays the foundation of later Tom Clancy type spy thrillers and Gregory Peck does a notable job in his role. Without hesitation I would recommend this movie due to the participation of Broderick Crawford, Buddy Ebsen, Anita Björk and Marianne Koch, and all the rest of the cast who made this remarkable film a classic. ****

MartinHafer Given the fact that this film starred Gregory Peck, it couldn't help but be entertaining and worth seeing. However, as far as Peck films made during his best years in Hollywood, this is definitely not one of his more memorable films. Most of the problems lie in the plot and the very unsatisfying ending, though the actors seem to give it their best.The film begins with a common soldier being kidnapped in Berlin. However, this is no ordinary soldier, as his father is a loud-mouth industrialist played, not surprisingly, by Broderick Crawford. When Crawford impulsively shows up in Berlin to kick butt and demand action, he comes up against a colonel from military intelligence (Peck) who puts Crawford in his place but good. Given that the kidnappers were probably working for the Russians, Crawford's blustering and willingness to pay any ransom is rather hollow. After all, the communists probably could have cared less. So it's up to Peck to first establish why the guy was kidnapped and to see what he can do to get him returned.While there are a few plot twists along the way, the film ends very poorly. In an ending rife with holes, Peck cheats the Russians out of their prize and gets the kid back--leaving you to assume that shortly afterward, the Russians just kidnapped some other poor shmoe and once again demanded a prisoner exchange or shot the guy to teach the Americans a lesson. Duh. Talk about a non-ending! Had the film ended well, it would have earned a 7 or even an 8. As it is, it's watchable but ultimately rather disappointing despite Peck's competent performance.

blanche-2 Gregory Peck plays a U.S. Army Provost caught up in exchanging a married couple wanted by Russians for a captured American soldier in "Night People," set in post-war Berlin. By today's standards, this film is on the talky side, with not much action. Although the script was nominated for an Oscar, it's problematic - the denouement was much too simple, for one thing.Broderick Crawford is the father of the captured soldier, and he does an excellent job. Rita Gam is Ricky, Peck's beautiful and feisty secretary. There are several TV faces as well: Buddy Ebsen, Walter Abel, and Max Showalter. Anita Bjork is "Hoffy," a woman who works for Peck yet may be playing both ends.But the film is really Peck's, who does a fantastic job creating an interesting, tough, passionate, decisive, and funny character. He's instantly both likable and admirable.

David Atfield Nunally Johnson proves again here that he was not really a film-maker. This so-called "thriller" is intelligent, literal and well acted - but way over-talkie and lacking in any visual style. They went to Berlin to film - and what a fascinating back-drop this is - but they hardly ever go outdoors. It seems to have been filmed mostly in poorly constructed studio sets. The best thing here is Peck's commanding performance as the hard-bitten military man, embittered by his dirty job. The attempt to use Buddy Ebsen for comic relief rarely works, and the political propaganda is offensive, particularly the referral to the Russians with terms like "cannibals". All in all pretty lame stuff.