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Fantasy comedy

The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945): Cast, Ratings & Plot

The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) movie poster

The Horn Blows at Midnight is a 1945 fantasy comedy directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Jack Benny, Alexis Smith and Reginald Gardiner. It runs 1 hour 18 minutes. Critics gave it 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10.

IMDb rating
6.6/10
Metascore
60
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The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 18m (78 min)
Director
Raoul Walsh
Genres
Fantasy , Comedy , Music
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Horn Blows at Midnight About?

The premise of The Horn Blows at Midnight without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A whimsical comedy follows Athanael, an angelic trumpeter, who must blow the Last Trumpet at precisely midnight. Two fallen angels and a jewel thief plot to steal the trumpet, throwing Athanael into a series of comical misadventures. He must navigate the challenges of the mortal realm while striving to fulfill his divine task and protect the sacred instrument from falling into the wrong hands.

The Horn Blows at Midnight Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • screwball comedy
  • radio announcer
  • reference to the apocalypse
  • comedy fantasy
  • late night radio
  • attempted robbery
  • interrupted suicide attempt
  • crying woman
  • jitterbug dancer
  • archangel
  • attempted suicide
  • jewel thief
+38 more
  • radio program sponsor
  • reference to girdle
  • bumbler
  • bungler
  • it was all a dream ending
  • attempted theft
  • pop music
  • supernatural fantasy
  • pop musical
  • classic musical
  • year 1945
  • new years eve
  • last judgment
  • horn
  • eavesdropping at a door
  • walsh and smith
  • trumpet
  • angel
  • midnight
  • coffee
  • trumpeter
  • fallen angel
  • manhattan new york city
  • womanizer
  • waiter
  • violin
  • umbrella
  • u.s. sailor
  • twinge
  • trumpet player
  • ticket agent
  • telegram delivery man
  • swing shift
  • swing music
  • suicide threat
  • stranger in a strange land
  • spoon
  • snoring
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Cast & crew

The Horn Blows at Midnight Cast

Jack Benny leads the cast, with Alexis Smith and Reginald Gardiner. Directed by Raoul Walsh; 10 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

The Horn Blows at Midnight Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Horn Blows at Midnight 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10.

Plot

The Horn Blows at Midnight Plot Summary

What happens in The Horn Blows at Midnight from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 11 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

As the delightful tunes from Paradise Coffee’s sponsored radio show filled the atmosphere, Athanael (Jack Benny), the orchestra’s third trumpet player, found himself enchanted by the melodies and gradually slipped into a dreamy state. In this ethereal space, he imagined himself as an angelic trumpeter, joyfully playing in the heavenly orchestra, filling the celestial realm with his harmonious serenades. His visions were graced by the affectionate praise of his beautiful girlfriend, Elizabeth (Alexis Smith), who was employed at the department of small planet management. It was she who entrusted him with a divine mission: to obliterate planet 339001 (Earth) along with its troublesome residents. Athanael’s trumpet playing began to carry an ominous weight as he prepared to sound the “Last Trumpet” at the stroke of midnight, heralding the world’s ending.

Full summary

The whole story of The Horn Blows at Midnight, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

The Horn Blows at Midnight Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Horn Blows at Midnight.

Horn Blows At Midnight, The - (Original Trailer)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Horn Blows at Midnight?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What instrument does Athanael play?

Details

The Horn Blows at Midnight Also Known As

2 alternative titles: “Der Engel mit der Trompete” and “La tromba squilla a mezzanotte”.

Also known as
  • Der Engel mit der Trompete
  • La tromba squilla a mezzanotte

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FAQ

The Horn Blows at Midnight FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Horn Blows at Midnight, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Horn Blows at Midnight?

The Horn Blows at Midnight runs 1 hour 18 minutes (78 minutes).

When was The Horn Blows at Midnight released?

The Horn Blows at Midnight was released on April 28, 1945.

Who directed The Horn Blows at Midnight?

The Horn Blows at Midnight was directed by Raoul Walsh.

More films by Raoul Walsh

Who is in the cast of The Horn Blows at Midnight?

The Horn Blows at Midnight stars Jack Benny, Alexis Smith and Reginald Gardiner, among 10 credited actors.

How is The Horn Blows at Midnight rated?

The Horn Blows at Midnight has 6.6/10 on IMDb and 60 on Metacritic.

Does The Horn Blows at Midnight have a post-credit scene?

No. The Horn Blows at Midnight has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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