Classic 80s Movie: “Night Shift”

Today’s Classic 80s Movie guest post comes from daryl.

Movie Title: Night Shift

Year: 1982

Writers: Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel

Lead Actors: Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton, Shelly Long

Director: Ron Howard

Plot Summary: A nebbish morgue attendant gets shunted back to the night shift, yoked to an obnoxious neophyte who dreams of making it big with “one big idea.” His life takes a turn when a prostitute neighbor complains about the loss of her pimp. His partner suggests that they use the morgue at night as their brothel. Against his better judgment, he gets talked into it, only to find that it’s more than his boss who objects.

Why I Think This Is A Classic 80s Movie: This movie is actually a very funny comedy. It makes a good study guide for learning how humor arises from the clash of character traits and situations. But deeper down, it has a serious side. And that side also arises from the clash of character and situation.

The 1980s marked a period of rapid economic growth throughout the western world. So what better character to represent the everyman of that time than a stock broker type? Chuck (Winkler) is such a character. Unable to deal with the stress of that life, he symbolically dies and enters the land of the dead by taking a job at the city morgue.

It’s not much of a life, especially once Chuck is banished to the night shift. Enter Belinda (Long), a “woman of the night” who has taken an act normally reserved for intimacy between two people and turned it into a business transaction. These two seem ideally suited to help each other, or so it seems to Chuck’s friend, Bill Blazejowski (Keaton) who comes up with the idea of becoming “love brokers.”

When Belinda and Chuck fall in love, things don’t work out and it seems like all is lost. But it gives Chuck the power to resurrect himself by standing up for himself, and stating what he wants out of life. By doing that, and declaring his love to Belinda, he completes Bill’s mission in life to “make Chuck a man.”

In a culture that measures a man by how successful he is in business, the concept that Chuck can be a man by being mentally and emotionally whole enough to declare his love for another person is a very compelling idea. It directly challenges the culture of the era.

It’s that concept that makes this movie an Eighties classic to me.

My Favorite Moment in the Movie: For me, it’s the moment when Chuck stands up for himself with the delivery guy.

Chuck: Excuse me, there’s mustard on this sandwich.
Carl: So?
Chuck: So? It’s egg salad.
Carl: Give me the sandwich.

He opens the sandwich, smears the bread against the door jam and hands it back.

Carl: Happy now?
Chuck: I would like a whole new sandwich. (Carl heads for the elevator.) Listen to me.

Chuck blocks the elevator door and pulls it open.

Chuck: Listen to me.
Carl: Take it easy.
Chuck: You listen to me! I will never again eat a sandwich I did not order. I am sick and tired of being afraid. Bad jobs, bad sandwiches, neurotic girlfriends. No longer for this man! Do you understand me?

The vicious dog rounds the corner BARKING and SNARLING, rocketing towards Chuck.

Chuck: You! Go home!

The dog WHIMPERS and scampers back the way he came.

Chuck: And you! Go clean off my door.

My Favorite Dialogue in the Movie:

Chuck: I don’t want to be a buttinsky, but what exactly is going on?
Bill: I don’t know. Some kind of debutant ball out on the island. Kid wants me to take him and his girlfriend.
Chuck: And you’re going to take one of the morgue vehicles?
Bill: It’s a limo, isn’t it?
Chuck: It’s a limo for dead people.
Bill: You see that, kid?

Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie: Keep an eye out for some great character actors. The late, great Vincent Shiavelli makes an appearance as the delivery man who forces Chuck to take a stand. You’ll also see Charles Fleicher, Richard Belzer and even a young Shannen Doherty as the leader of a vigilante troop of Bluebirds.

Thanks, Daryl! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!

Tomorrow: Another Classic 80s Movie!

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