Summary
In the labyrinthine shadows of the 1920s urban sprawl, Molly—a feline-grace burglar—finds her clandestine career terminated by the cold steel of a police trap during a high-stakes art heist. Her flight from the law culminates not in a cell, but in a violent collision with a motorcar that serves as a portal into a surreal domesticity. Misidentified in the antiseptic haze of a hospital as the missing spouse of John Warren, a political figurehead on the precipice of a mayoral victory, Molly becomes the linchpin in a desperate charade. Warren, cognizant of his real wife's scandalous elopement with the nefarious George Calvin, weaponizes this coincidence to preserve his public sanctity. The narrative spirals into a sophisticated game of psychological mirrors as Molly adopts the mantle of the socialite, navigating the treacherous waters of political optics while the specter of blackmail looms. When the real Mrs. Warren and her lover resurface, the tension shifts from social masquerade to a forensic showdown. Through a masterful maneuver of self-sacrifice and strategic fingerprinting, Molly orchestrates a resolution where the ghosts of the past are purged in a final, fatal vehicular tragedy, leaving the imposter to claim a legitimate throne beside the man who chose the shadow over the reality.
Synopsis
Midnight Molly is trapped by police as she attempts to steal a painting. She escapes the detectives, but, while still on the lam, she is hit by a car, taken to a hospital, and erroneously identified as Mrs. John Warren, the wife of a prominent mayoralty candidate. Since the real Mrs. Warren, who is the exact image of Molly, has just run off with George Calvin, Warren is glad to identify Molly as his wife and take her home with him. Molly recovers and continues to impersonate Warren's wife, protecting him from the political consequences of a divorce scandal. Calvin learns of the deception, returns to the city, and attempts to blackmail Warren. He is not successful, but Detective Daley, who also suspects Molly's alias, requests her fingerprints. Forcing the real Mrs. Warren to return for fingerprinting, Molly is cleared of suspicion, and Daley closes the case. Mrs. Warren and Calvin are killed in an automobile accident, and Molly and Warren are free to marry.
Review Excerpt
"The 1920s cinematic landscape was often a playground for the 'fallen woman' and the 'reformed thief,' yet few entries manage the precarious tonal balance of Midnight Molly. Directed with a keen eye for the burgeoning aesthetics of noir, this 1925 gem offers more than just a plot of convenience; it presents a scathing critique of political artifice and the malleability of the female persona.The Architecture of a MasqueradeAt the heart of the film lies the dualistic performance of Evelyn Brent. Br..."
