Night Work Review: The 'Fired Man' Gag is Still Funny

You should watch Night Work if you have a soft spot for the 'little guy' stories from the early 1930s. It’s a good pick if you like fast-talking comedies that don't take themselves too seriously. But if you can't stand loud child actors or plots that rely on everyone being a bit dim, you’ll probably want to skip this one.

The movie stars Eddie Quillan as Willie. He’s an assistant window-dresser, which is the lowest job at the store. But his real value is being the 'Fired Man.'

Whenever a customer gets angry and demands that someone be punished, the boss calls Willie in. Willie gets yelled at and 'fired' right on the spot. The customer leaves happy, and Willie goes back to his basement. It is a darkly funny idea that feels weirdly modern.

I wonder if people actually did that back then. It feels like something a corporate office would dream up today. Willie just takes the abuse with this rubbery, sad face that makes you want to buy him a drink.

Eddie Quillan has this frantic energy. He’s not as polished as some of the big stars from that era. But he feels like a real person you might actually meet. He’s clumsy, but in a way that feels like he’s actually about to drop something expensive.

The plot kicks in when Willie somehow adopts a 4-year-old orphan. The kid costs $10 a week to take care of. Willie doesn’t even make $10 a week. The math in this movie is completely broken, but nobody seems to care.

The kid is played by Sherwood Bailey. He does a lot of yelling. It’s that specific kind of child-acting from 1930 where they just point at things and scream. It can be a bit much if you aren't in the right mood.

Luckily, there is Mary, the nurse. She’s played by Frances Upton. She’s the one who actually keeps the movie grounded. She has this very calm, sensible vibe that balances out Willie’s constant panicking.

There is a scene in the boarding house where Willie is trying to hide the kid. The sets look so lived-in and dusty. You can almost smell the old cabbage and floor wax. It reminds me of the cluttered backgrounds in Bright Lights.

The boarding house lady, Martha Mattox, is great. She has this face that looks like it was carved out of a very grumpy tree. She doesn't say much, but her glare is enough to stop Willie in his tracks.

I loved the department store scenes the most. The mannequins are terrifyingly creepy. They have these blank, staring eyes that seem to watch Willie as he works. He treats them like they are real people sometimes.

The physical comedy is a bit hit-or-miss. There is a bit with a ladder that goes on about thirty seconds too long. You can feel the movie waiting for the audience to laugh. But then Willie does a little stumble that feels totally unscripted and it works.

The sound quality is pretty rough, which is normal for 1930. Everyone sounds like they are talking through a tin can. It adds to the charm, though. It feels like you found an old dusty box in an attic.

The pacing is a bit weird. It feels like two different movies smashed together. One is a cynical workplace comedy, and the other is a sappy story about an orphan. It doesn't always fit perfectly.

It has that same frantic 'early talkie' feel you see in Up the Ladder. They were still figuring out how to make movies with sound. Sometimes the camera just sits there for a long time because they were afraid to move the microphones.

There is a moment where Willie is trying to cook for the kid and it’s just pure chaos. Flour is everywhere. The kid is crying. Willie looks like he’s about to have a breakdown. It’s supposed to be funny, but it’s actually kind of stressful to watch.

The romance between Willie and Mary is sweet, if a bit fast. They seem to fall in love because they are the only two nice people in the room. I guess that’s enough of a reason. Their scenes together are the only time the movie really slows down and breathes.

I noticed that the extras in the background of the store look genuinely confused. Some of them are just staring at the camera. It makes the whole thing feel like a stage play that got out of hand.

The ending is very predictable. You know exactly how the 'Fired Man' gag is going to pay off. But seeing Willie finally get a win is satisfying anyway. You root for him because he’s such a disaster.

Some small things I noticed:

• The boss’s office has some really cool Art Deco furniture.
• The kid’s pajamas look like they are three sizes too big.
• There is a guy in the background of the store who is wearing a very silly hat.
• The music during the sad scenes is way too dramatic. It’s like the violin is trying to win an award.
• Willie’s window displays are actually pretty terrible. No wonder he’s the lowest man on the pole.

It’s not a deep movie. It’s not going to make you think about the 'human condition' or anything like that. It’s just a story about a guy trying to survive a terrible job and a loud kid.

If you like Dandy Lions, you’ll probably find this charming. It has that same scrappy, low-budget heart. It’s the kind of movie you watch on a rainy afternoon when you don’t want to think too hard.

It’s about 80 minutes long, which is the perfect length. Any longer and the kid’s screaming would have been too much. But for what it is, it’s a nice little slice of 1930s life. Just don't expect it to be a masterpiece.

Final thought: I hope Willie got a raise. Being 'fired' that many times should come with a bonus. Or at least a free hat from the store.