All Night Long

All Night Long

Year: 1962

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: Basil Dearden

DramaMusic

During a single, eventful evening that marks the anniversary of the musical and romantic partnership between Aurelius Rex and Delia Lane, jealous and ambitious drummer Johnny Cousin schemes to drive the interracial couple apart, using his envy to disrupt their celebration and jeopardize both their love and their music.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen All Night Long yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – All Night Long (1962)

Trace every key event in All Night Long (1962) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Rod hosts a one-year wedding anniversary party at his Thames-side warehouse

Rod Hamilton, a wealthy jazz aficionado, hosts a lavish one-year wedding anniversary party for Aurelius Rex and Delia Lane at his London warehouse. The space has been remodeled to host all-night parties and jam sessions, a venue Rod cannot use at his Mayfair home. The guest list includes Rex, Delia, Cass Michaels, Johnny Cousin and many others, all stepping into a charged mood for the evening.

Evening London, Thames-side warehouse
2

Johnny’s plan hinges on Delia as the band’s vocalist

Johnny Cousin has arranged for Rod to fund his own band and has Berger interested, but both depend on Delia coming out of retirement as his vocalist. He believes a public association with Delia will help secure support for his venture. The plan relies on the couple’s dynamic surfacing as the party unfolds.

Early evening Warehouse party
3

Delia decides not to return to singing

Delia tells Johnny she will not come out of retirement because she fears it will cause tension in her marriage. She explains her reluctance to perform or reconcile publicly. Johnny recognizes a new opportunity to manipulate Rex’s emotions.

Mid-evening Party
4

Johnny begins a plan to fake an affair

Johnny initiates a complex scheme to make Rex believe Delia is having an affair with Cass Michaels. He aims to exploit Rex’s fears and push the relationship toward a breakup. The plan centers on deceit and planted insinuations during the party.

Late evening Warehouse
5

Cass is pressured, smokes, and is fired

Johnny gets Cass to smoke marijuana and hints that Berger doubts his ability to manage Rex’s tour. Cass lashes out at Berger, leading Rex to fire him. The confrontation deepens the party’s tension and gives Johnny material for his ruse.

Evening Warehouse/office area
6

Johnny records conversations to fake the affair

Using Rod’s recording equipment, Johnny captures Cass talking with him and Delia, then edits the tape to imply an affair between Delia and Cass. The doctored conversations become the centerpiece of his manipulation. He sews the tape into Rex’s growing paranoia.

Evening Rod's recording setup
7

Rex’s suspicions grow and Delia rehearses

Johnny drops hints to Rex about Delia’s supposed infidelity, playing on Rex’s fear of losing her. Delia rehearses a song for the party, a performance that intensifies Rex’s unease. The atmosphere thickens with distrust and tension.

Late evening Warehouse stage/rehearsal area
8

Rex decides to listen to the doctored tape

Rex finally decides to listen to Johnny’s doctored tape and confront Delia. The perceived evidence seems to confirm an affair, pushing him toward a dangerous outburst. The party’s energy shifts as the truth is perceived through Johnny’s lie.

Moment of tape revelation Warehouse
9

Confrontation erupts on the floor

Rex attacks Delia, then turns on Cass when he tries to intervene, pushing him over the balcony railing. In front of the entire party, Rex accuses Delia and Cass of infidelity. The room erupts with shock, fear, and collapsing trust.

Moment of confrontation Warehouse
10

Emily exposes Johnny as a liar

Emily, Johnny’s long-suffering wife, questions Rex about his behavior and urges him to confront Johnny. Rex points back to Johnny, and Emily proclaims that Johnny is a liar who has never told the truth. Benny begins to realize the tape’s misdirection.

After confrontation Main hall
11

Truth surfaces about the tape’s real target

Benny figures out that Cass was talking about his own girlfriend Benny, not Delia, and Cass confirms it as he lies injured. Johnny’s ruse collapses as the real meaning of the tape becomes clear to those present. Rex’s anger cools as the truth emerges.

After truth surfaces Warehouse
12

Johnny flees; Rex pursues, Delia bruised but alive

Johnny tries to escape as Rex pursues him, but Delia, bruised yet alive, intervenes and halts his pursuit briefly. Rex returns to Cass and tells him that things will be okay, signaling a fragile moment of restraint. Delia and Rex share a tense, uncertain reconciliation.

Following confrontation Warehouse
13

Ambulance arrives; Cass is taken away

An ambulance arrives and Cass is loaded into the vehicle, with Benny accompanying him. The guests begin to depart in the wake of the chaos. The emotional aftermath settles on Rex, Delia, and Johnny, each processing what has happened.

After medical transport Embankment area outside warehouse
14

Final confessions and Johnny’s isolation

Emily tells Johnny that she loves him, but he stubbornly proclaims he does not want to be loved. He declares that he loves nobody, instructing others to go find someone else to love. This marks Johnny’s emotional isolation amid the ruin of the night.

End of party Warehouse interior
15

Rex and Delia walk away, while Johnny stays behind

Rex and Delia walk along the embankment, arms around each other, choosing to face the future together despite the turmoil. Meanwhile, Johnny remains in the nearly-dark warehouse, drumming a frantic solo as the space cools around him. The night closes on a note of separation and unresolved tension.

Night Embankment outside warehouse

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:09

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Jazz-fueled psychological tension like in All Night Long

Where the world of music becomes a pressure cooker for envy and betrayal.If you liked the tense, music-driven drama of All Night Long, explore movies where jazz clubs and musician's lives become the backdrop for intense psychological conflict. Discover similar stories of envy and betrayal set against a soulful, melancholic score.

jazzytensemelancholicclaustrophobicdramaticobsessiveanxious

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically unfold in confined social settings, often involving a charismatic but destructive individual who manipulates the relationships within a tight-knit group. The narrative is propelled by a scheme that escalates rapidly, threatening to destroy artistic partnerships and personal bonds under the pressure of a single night or event.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared use of a specific musical atmosphere to heighten emotional stakes, their focus on the darker side of ambition within creative circles, and their tense, often claustrophobic exploration of character dynamics.

Pressure cooker party dramas like in All Night Long

A single social gathering spirals into a night of secrets and confrontation.Find more movies like All Night Long where a single night at a party unravels into high-stakes drama. These films capture the intense, claustrophobic feeling of social gatherings turning into stages for betrayal, confession, and psychological warfare.

claustrophobictenseanxiousdramaticconfrontationalmelancholicsocial unraveling

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern revolves around a celebratory event that is hijacked by personal agendas. A central conflict, often driven by jealousy or a hidden secret, rapidly escalates in a confined space, forcing characters to confront each other. The plot unfolds in a compressed timeline, leading to a climax that irreversibly changes the dynamics between the guests.

Why These Movies?

This thread unites movies through their shared setting of a single social event, their fast-paced, real-time narrative structure, and their focus on the explosive unraveling of social facades and personal relationships under intense pressure.

Unlock the Full Story of All Night Long

Don't stop at just watching — explore All Night Long in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what All Night Long is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

All Night Long Summary

Read a complete plot summary of All Night Long, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

All Night Long Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in All Night Long

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape All Night Long. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in All Night Long

All Night Long Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of All Night Long that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

All Night Long Spoiler-Free Summary

More About All Night Long

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about All Night Long: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About All Night Long

Similar Movies to All Night Long

Discover movies like All Night Long that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.