Night Without Stars (1951) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A partially blinded lawyer becomes entangled in a postwar revenge mystery and survives an attempt on his life while pursuing love and the truth.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

Sight and Suspicion

Giles arrives on the French Riviera while fearing the loss of his eyesight. His meeting with the Resistance widow draws him into warnings about black market activity and wartime crimes.

Key Events

• French Riviera Opening — The story opens in spring 1947 on the French Riviera. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: South coast of France
• Wartime Eye Injury — Giles fears that his wartime blindness is worsening. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: French Riviera
• The Shoe Shop Stumble — Giles stumbles in a shoe shop because of his impaired eyesight. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Shoe shop
• Recognition at the Cafe — The shop assistant recognizes Giles later and joins him at a cafe. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Cafe
• A Resistance Widow — Giles hears that the woman is the widow of a hanged Resistance fighter. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Cafe
• Warning at the Cafe — A restaurateur warns Giles away and claims the woman is promised to him. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Cafe

A Dangerous Attachment

Giles grows closer to the woman despite repeated pressure to leave. His accidental entry into a room of black market contacts and the discovery of a body deepen the mystery.

Key Events

• Warning at the Cafe — A restaurateur warns Giles away and claims the woman is promised to him. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Cafe
• The Black Market Allegation — Giles is told that the woman is linked to wartime criminals. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: French Riviera
• Growing Companionship — Giles and the woman spend increasing amounts of time together. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: French Riviera
• Water Sports in Monaco — Giles and the woman spend a day participating in water sports. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Monaco
• The Wrong Room — Giles mistakenly enters a room connected with black market contacts. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Room of black market contacts
• Urged Toward England — Giles is told to leave France and return home to England. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: French Riviera

The Return of Sight

Giles returns to England, learns that his sight may be restored, and undergoes an operation. A press report about Pierre's apparent death motivates him to return to France in disguise.

Key Events

• Urged Toward England — Giles is told to leave France and return home to England. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: French Riviera
• Pressure from Pierre — Giles goes to Pierre's flat after continued pressure to leave. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Pierre's flat
• The Apparent Dead Body — Giles finds a body and, because of his poor eyesight, assumes it is Pierre. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Pierre's flat
• Return to England — Giles leaves France and returns to England for medical advice. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: England
• Hope for Restored Sight — A doctor tells Giles that his eyesight can be restored. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Doctor's office in England
• The Eye Operation — Giles undergoes an operation intended to restore his sight. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: England
• The Press Cutting — A press cutting reports that Pierre died in an unrecognisable car crash. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: England

Truth Beneath the Accident

Armand explains the betrayal behind the wartime revenge and the staging of Pierre's death. Giles then becomes a target because the marketeers believe he knows too much.

Key Events

• The Press Cutting — A press cutting reports that Pierre died in an unrecognisable car crash. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: England
• Return in Disguise — Giles returns to France wearing dark glasses to conceal his restored sight. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: France
• Armand Explains the Past — Armand explains the betrayal, revenge motive, and staged death. Characters: Giles Gordon, Armand Location: Dinner setting in France
• The Flat Murder Revealed — Armand explains that Pierre was killed in his flat and later moved. Characters: Giles Gordon, Armand Location: Pierre's flat

Survival at the Cliff

An attempted car-based killing sends Giles over a cliff, but he escapes before the attackers realize he survived. He returns to confront Malinay and declare his love for Alix.

Key Events

• The Cliff Car Trap — The marketeers push Giles over a cliff in a car. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Cliff road
• The Exploding Car — The car explodes, and the attackers presume Giles is dead. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Bottom of the cliff
• Climbing Back Up — Giles survives and struggles back up the steep cliff to the road. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: Steep cliff
• Love and Confrontation — Giles confronts Malinay and declares his love for Alix. Characters: Giles Gordon Location: France

Story Breakdown

• Riviera Arrival — Giles begins the story on the French Riviera while struggling with worsening eyesight.
  • Wartime Blindness — Giles fears that his World War II injury is causing his sight to deteriorate.
  • Shoe Shop Encounter — A stumble in a shoe shop leads to recognition later at a cafe.
• Forbidden Attraction — Giles becomes increasingly involved with a woman whose wartime history is surrounded by suspicion.
  • Cafe Conversation — She tells Giles that she is the widow of a hanged French Resistance fighter.
  • Growing Attachment — Giles and the woman spend more time together despite warnings against the relationship.
• Wartime Shadows — Warnings about black markets, blackmail, and murder connect the present to unresolved wartime violence.
  • Rival's Warning — A restaurateur claims the woman is promised to him and urges Giles to leave.
  • Monaco Discovery — Giles accidentally enters a room occupied by the woman's black market contacts.
• The False Death — Giles encounters a body and becomes caught between an apparent killing and a later report of an accidental death.
  • Flat Body — Because of his poor eyesight, Giles assumes the body in Pierre's flat is Pierre.
  • Crash Report — A press cutting reports that Pierre died in a car crash with an unrecognisable body.
• Restored Vision — Giles leaves France, receives medical hope, and returns with the ability to see concealed behind dark glasses.
  • English Operation — A doctor says Giles's sight can be restored, and Giles undergoes an operation.
  • Hidden Sight — Giles returns to France wearing dark glasses so others will not know his sight has returned.
• Revenge Uncovered — Armand provides the explanation linking Pierre's betrayal to the Resistance group's revenge.
  • Armand's Dinner — Armand invites Giles to dinner and explains the concealed history.
  • Staged Accident — Armand explains that Pierre was killed in his flat and that his body was later used to stage an accidental death.
• Cliffside Survival — The marketeers try to eliminate Giles, but their apparent success becomes a survival test.
  • Exploding Car — Giles falls from a cliff in a car that explodes at the bottom.
  • Final Confrontation — Giles climbs back to the road, confronts Malinay, and declares his love for Alix.

Directed by

Anthony Pelissier

Key Cast

• David Farrar — Giles Gordon
• Nadia Gray — Alix Delaisse nee Malinay
• Maurice Teynac — Louis Malinay
• Gilles Quéant — Inspector Deffand
• Gérard Landry — Pierre Chaval