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At the Stroke of Twelve

Name: At the Stroke of Twelve
Director: Jean Negulesco
Released: 1941
Duration: 20 min

Representation Score

2.0/10

Limited

1941

Approved

Director

Jean Negulesco

Runtime

20 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

At the Stroke of Twelve is a period-specific genre short that adheres to the traditional narrative structures of the early 1940s. It serves as a standard dramatic exercise in suspense and legal coincidence, rather than a tool for social subversion. The film's focus remains on a male-driven crime drama involving racketeering and gangsters. While the widow offers a pivotal moment, the power dynamics are rooted in mid-century social hierarchies. Ultimately, the work lacks the intentionality needed to disrupt conventional clichés, presenting a homogeneous view of the urban crime landscape typical of the Warner Bros. 'Broadway Brevity' series.

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Category Breakdown

Does At the Stroke of Twelve have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows the social norms of 1941 and does not include any non-traditional gender identities or critiques of the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does At the Stroke of Twelve portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on a male protagonist involved in criminal activities. A reclusive widow plays a crucial role, but her importance is tied to her relationship with her deceased husband.

How racially and ethnically diverse is At the Stroke of Twelve?

Limited

The film depicts a conventional, homogeneous society of the time, lacking significant racial blending or non-Anglo-Saxon representation.

How does At the Stroke of Twelve represent religion and culture?

Limited

The themes center around crime, luck, and legal exoneration, without any critique of institutions or emphasis on secular values.

Does At the Stroke of Twelve include disability representation?

Minimal

The plot summary does not mention any visible or invisible disabilities, neurodivergence, or chronic illnesses.

Present on Screen

The reclusive widow plays a pivotal role by providing the testimony that resolves the legal conflict.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks significant racial blending or non-Anglo-Saxon representation.
The story centers heavily on male-driven conflict, limiting women's ability to drive the story to domestic or protective roles.
There is no evidence of LGBTQ+ representation or critiques of the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

Official Synopsis

This entry in Warner's "Broadway Brevity" series of shorts is based on Damon Runyon's short story, "The Old Doll's House". Racketeer Lance McGowan, on the night he has decided to go straight, finds himself caught between the gunfire of two rival gangsters and, wounded by a bullet, he finds refuge in the home of a wealthy recluse. One of the gangsters is found riddled with bullets from the gun Lance dropped while making his escape, and he is arrested and tried for murder. The reclusive widow comes to the trail and testifies that Lance was her guest that night when the clock struck twelve, the time of the killing. Lance, while innocent, is also lucky, as the widow had her all her clocks set to always strike twelve, as the time her husband had died.

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