The Night of January 16th 1941

Crime

Drama

Mystery

Runtime

80 mins

Language

English

Directed by

William Clemens

Made by

Paramount Pictures

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The Night of January 16th Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Night of January 16th (1941). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Steve Van Ruyle is a sailor who unexpectedly inherits a seat on the board of a company led by Bjorn Faulkner. When the board discovers that $20 million has vanished from the company’s funds, the atmosphere tightens as they demand explanations from Faulkner. That night, Faulkner meets with a man named Anton Haraba, and it appears Faulkner is thrown from his penthouse balcony to his death. Faulkner’s secretary, Kit Lane, arrives moments later, and the police arrest her for Faulkner’s murder.

Determined to uncover the truth, Van Ruyle launches his own inquiry and even helps Kit Lane by posting bail so he can question her directly. The search turns up Faulkner’s diary, whose entries cast doubt on Lane’s guilt and suggest she may be innocent. Yet the district attorney, Paul Stanton, remains convinced of Lane’s culpability, and she faces a trial that could end her life in prison.

In a bid to clear Lane, Van Ruyle resorts to fabricating evidence to prove her innocence, but the deception is quickly uncovered, forcing the two to flee with genuine material from Faulkner’s apartment. Their pursuit leads them to a distant Havana, Cuba, where they uncover a shocking truth: Anton Haraba is Faulkner’s pseudonym, and Faulkner has staged his own death to escape the consequences of the missing funds.

The trail intensifies as Faulkner, now aware of their investigation, captures Lane, sending Van Ruyle into a desperate rush with the police to Faulkner’s hotel room to mount a rescue. In a dramatic confrontation, Faulkner is arrested, and the couple—having faced danger, deception, and a fight for justice—decide to marry, choosing a future built on truth and perseverance.

The Night of January 16th Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The Night of January 16th (1941) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Steve Van Ruyle joins the company board

Steve Van Ruyle, a sailor, unexpectedly inherits a seat on the board of the company led by Bjorn Faulkner. His fresh presence unsettles the existing power dynamics and prompts suspicion among the other directors. This marks the start of Van Ruyle's deeper involvement in the company's troubles.

Company boardroom

The board detects a missing fortune

The board discovers that twenty million dollars has vanished from the firm's funds and demands explanations from Faulkner. The mystery tightens the noose around Faulkner as investigators probe the missing money. Tension mounts as colleagues weigh possible embezzlement schemes.

That night Company offices, boardroom

Faulkner's death appears to occur

That night Faulkner meets with Anton Haraba and is apparently thrown from his penthouse balcony to his death. The death is treated as a murder, shocking everyone connected to the company. The case immediately triggers the investigation that will unfold.

That night Faulkner's penthouse

Kit Lane is arrested

Faulkner's secretary Kit Lane enters the penthouse moments later and is arrested for Faulkner's murder. The arrest seems to confirm Lane as the killer in the eyes of investigators. Van Ruyle's instinct tells him there is more to the story.

Moments after the murder Faulkner's penthouse

Van Ruyle vows to uncover the truth

Van Ruyle decides to investigate the crime himself, driven by doubt about Lane's guilt and a desire to clear her name. He begins quietly gathering evidence and interviewing people connected to Faulkner. He prepares to challenge the official narrative.

City streets and offices

Lane's bail is posted

Suspecting Lane and Faulkner were colluding, Van Ruyle pays Lane's bail so he can question her directly. Lane is released, and together they start pursuing the truth behind the embezzlement. The partnership between the two intensifies as the investigation deepens.

City jail

The diary points to Lane's innocence

The two discover Faulkner's diary, and the entries suggest Lane's innocence. The diary hints at Faulkner's own manipulation of the funds and possible double-dealing. Van Ruyle's doubts about Lane solidify into belief that she was not the killer.

Faulkner's apartment

Lane's trial begins

Lane goes to trial as the district attorney resists the defense that she is innocent. The courtroom becomes the battleground where truth and suspicion collide. Van Ruyle watches closely, trying to assemble a legitimate case to exonerate Lane.

Courtroom

Van Ruyle's fake evidence backfires

In a desperate bid to sway the verdict, Van Ruyle fabricates evidence to prove Lane's innocence. His ruse is quickly uncovered by investigators, undermining his credibility. The trial is derailed as the deception comes to light.

Courtroom during trial

Fleeing with key evidence

Realizing the ruse failed, Lane and Van Ruyle flee Faulkner's apartment with crucial evidence and set out to track down the enigmatic Haraba. Their escape marks a new phase of the chase beyond the city. They hope the new evidence will reveal the truth about the missing funds.

Faulkner's apartment

Haraba's Havana hotel lead

The pursuit leads them to a Havana hotel in Cuba, where they learn that Haraba is a pseudonym used by Faulkner. They discover Faulkner has faked his own death and is still alive. The revelation pivots the case in a surprising direction.

Havana, Cuba

Faulkner captures Lane

Faulkner captures Lane in his hotel room, taking her hostage. Van Ruyle and the police rush to Faulkner's room to rescue her. The confrontation climaxes in a tense showdown that decides the fate of all involved.

Faulkner's hotel room

Faulkner is arrested

Faulkner is arrested in Havana following the confrontation; the evidence gathered in Havana unravels the case and clears Lane's name. Van Ruyle's persistence finally yields a resolution. The plot threads converge toward a final outcome.

Havana hotel

Van Ruyle and Lane marry

With the case resolved, Van Ruyle and Lane decide to marry. Their partnership has endured danger and deception, cementing their bond. The film closes on the couple planning a future together.

City

The Night of January 16th Characters

Explore all characters from The Night of January 16th (1941). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Steve Van Ruyle (Robert Preston)

A resourceful sailor-turned-board member who pushes to uncover Faulkner's murder. He uses unorthodox methods and risks professional consequences to clear Kit Lane, driven by determination and a growing sense of justice.

🧭 Resourceful 🎯 Determined 💡 Cunning

Katherine 'Kit' Lane (Ellen Drew)

Faulkner's secretary who becomes a suspect in the murder and later an ally to Van Ruyle. She believes she is innocent and fights to uncover the truth, showing resilience under pressure and loyalty.

💪 Courageous 🕊️ Loyal 🧠 Intelligent

Bjorn Faulkner (Nils Asther)

Powerful company head who orchestrates the embezzlement and fakes his own death. He is calculating, wealthy, and dangerous, using deception to maintain control.

💼 Wealthy 🗡️ Cunning 🌀 Deceptive

Anton Haraba - Man With Briefcase (Georges Renavent)

A mysterious alias used by Faulkner that ties the investigation to a concealed identity. The pursuit reveals that Haraba is Faulkner’s disguise for his criminal plans.

🕵️‍♂️ Mysterious 🗝️ Alias 🔎 Pursuit

District Attorney (Paul Stanton)

The prosecutor who clings to the letter of the law and initially doubts Lane’s innocence. He represents the weight of formal justice and the courtroom’s pressure.

⚖️ Law 🎯 Duty

The Night of January 16th Settings

Learn where and when The Night of January 16th (1941) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1940s

The story unfolds in the early 1940s, a period marked by corporate intrigue and noir storytelling. Boardroom power plays, tense investigations, and rapid shifts in allegiance drive the plot. A trip to Havana underscores the era’s cross-border crime dynamics and the global reach of deceit.

Location

Faulkner's Penthouse, Havana, Cuba

The action starts in a lavish penthouse where a corporate board confronts a $20 million embezzlement. The investigation travels to a Havana hotel where the suspects' identities and alibis unravel. The Havana setting introduces an international, sunlit contrast to the high-stakes crime and adds a sense of getaway and pursuit across borders.

🏢 Corporate setting 🌃 Noir atmosphere

The Night of January 16th Themes

Discover the main themes in The Night of January 16th (1941). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🕵️

Deception

The plot is built on embezzlement, forged identities, and a fake death that misleads characters and viewers alike. Faulkner’s pseudonyms and Kit Lane’s arrest reveal how appearances conceal the truth. Steve Van Ruyle’s pursuit blurs the line between detective work and deception, using unorthodox moves to uncover facts. The diary and hidden motives pull the investigation toward a climactic reveal.

⚖️

Justice

The District Attorney and the trial foreground the legal process as a battleground for truth. Lane is accused and defended, illustrating how evidence, credibility, and public opinion shape outcomes. The pursuit culminates in Faulkner’s arrest, regardless of how the truth is assembled. The film questions whether justice is served by procedure or by uncovering concealed motives.

💘

Romance

Amid danger and deception, a trust forms between Steve and Kit. Their alliance grows from shared danger to mutual commitment, culminating in a decision to marry. The romance motivates risk-taking and perseverance when the stakes are highest. It also offers a counterpoint to the cold, calculating crimes at the story’s core.

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The Night of January 16th Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of The Night of January 16th (1941). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the high-stakes world of corporate finance, power often casts a long shadow, obscuring the truth behind layers of wealth and influence. The Night of January 16th introduces audiences to Steve Van Ruyle, a sailor whose life takes an unforeseen turn when he is thrust into the rigid, opulent environment of a corporate boardroom. The atmosphere is thick with tension as Steve navigates a landscape that feels foreign to his maritime background, setting the stage for a conflict where the stakes are far higher than mere business dealings.

The narrative pivots when a powerful financier, Bjorn Faulkner, meets a tragic end, leading to the immediate arrest of his secretary, Kit Lane. Accused of murdering her employer, Kit finds herself facing the full weight of the judicial system and a district attorney determined to prove her guilt. Isolated and desperate, she finds an unexpected ally in Steve, who steps forward to advocate for her. His involvement is driven by a sharp intuition and a personal sense of justice that compels him to look beyond the surface of the prosecution’s case.

As the courtroom drama unfolds, the film explores the murky depths of truth and the lengths one man will go to in order to challenge a seemingly airtight narrative. Steve’s quick wit and unconventional methods clash with the formal procedures of the law, creating a dynamic defense for Kit. The story captures the essence of a classic mystery, balancing the suspense of a trial with the raw determination of a man fighting to uncover the secrets hidden beneath the city’s polished veneer.

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