Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

All Through the Night (1942) movie poster

Timeline

All Through the Night (1942) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1942 · 107 mins · English
Loading streaming availability…
Directed by
Vincent Sherman
Starring
Edward Brophy, Humphrey Bogart, Jackie Gleason, Walter Brooke, Frank McHugh, Peter Lorre

Killer Bogart takes the Gestapo for a ride! Broadway gamblers stumble across a plan by Nazi saboteurs to blow up an American battleship.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (11)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like All Through the Night
  6. 6 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

11 events in order · contains spoilers

All Through the Night Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of All Through the Night (1942) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Gloves plays with military toys in a restaurant

    Alfred 'Gloves' Donahue is depicted as a wealthy Broadway gambler who entertains himself by playing with military toys, imagining fighting Hitler during a meal at a restaurant. His mood is disrupted when he receives a cheesecake that is not made by his favorite baker, Mr. Miller. His mother, Ma Donahue, hints that something sinister might have happened to Miller.

    Where
    Restaurant
  2. Discovery of Miller’s dead body

    Gloves searches the bakery after his mother mentions Miller's disappearance and finds Miller’s dead body, indicating foul play. This event deepens the mystery and raises suspicion around Miller’s murder. Meanwhile, Leda Hamilton, a young singer, leaves the bakery upon hearing about Miller’s death.

    Where
    Bakery
  3. Mrs. Donahue contacts Leda Hamilton

    Ma Donahue deduces that Leda might know something about Miller’s death and tracks her down to a nightclub. She causes a scene by complaining loudly about Miller’s murder, attempting to draw out information from Leda. Marty Callahan, the club co-owner, calls Gloves to handle the situation.

    Where
    Nightclub
  4. Leda leaves with Pepi after a confrontation

    While at the nightclub, Gloves shares a drink with Leda, but she is taken away by her piano player, Pepi. Pepi drags Leda to a back room where he shoots Joe Denning, Marty’s partner, and then they escape together in a taxi, leaving Gloves confused and suspicious.

    Where
    Nightclub
  5. Discovery of Joe Denning’s murder and Earning a clue

    Gloves discovers Joe Denning’s body after the shooting, and before dying, Joe raises five fingers, hinting at the identity of Leda’s kidnapper. Gloves leaves the scene with one of his gloves, which becomes a clue in the investigation. He begins to suspect that the kidnappers are connected to Nazi fifth columnists.

    Where
    Nightclub
  6. Investigation at the antiques auction house

    Gloves traces the taxi to an antiques auction house run by Hall Ebbing. Disguised as a bidder, he spots Leda and begins to trust her, but she knocks him out and leaves him tied up. He finds himself with Sunshine, and they plan to escape from captivity.

    Where
    Antiques auction house
  7. Discovery of Nazi plans and Miller’s involvement

    While escaping, Gloves and Sunshine find a room filled with maps, charts, a short-wave radio, and a portrait of Hitler. Gloves discovers Miller’s name in a notebook, revealing his connection to the Nazis, and uncovers Leda’s true identity as Uda Hammel, whose father died in Dachau. They realize their captors are Nazi fifth columnists.

    Where
    Storage room
  8. Leda explains her true motives

    Leda reveals she works with Ebbing only to save her father’s life. She is devastated to learn that her father has already died, and the group heads into Central Park to evade Nazi pursuers. Gloves fights a Nazi while Leda reads the torn page confirming her father’s death.

    Where
    Central Park
  9. Capture and interrogation at the police station

    Gloves and Leda are taken to the police station, but Ebbing bails her out before they arrive. They find her being forced into a car, which they follow to a secret Nazi meeting underground. Gloves and Sunshine manage to impersonate Nazis, exposing the secret hideout.

    Where
    Police station and underground Nazi meeting
  10. Climactic confrontation at the docks

    Ebbing attempts to carry out a destructive plan to blow up a battleship in New York harbor, forcing Gloves into steering a motorboat loaded with explosives. Gloves tricks Ebbing by steering the boat off course and jumps into the water, causing the boat to crash and explode, thwarting the attack.

    Where
    Docks, New York harbor
  11. Resolution and honor for Gloves

    Back at the police station, Gloves is cleared of all charges, and the mayor announces plans to honor him for his bravery. Meanwhile, Ma Donahue complains about her missing milkman, maintaining her instinct that something is amiss, continuing the mystery. Leda is safe, and the Nazi threat is thwarted.

    Where
    Police station and city hall

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:14

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

All Through the Night Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of All Through the Night (1942): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Leda agree to work with the Nazi spies?

Leda was coerced into working with Hall Ebbing and the Nazi spy ring because they had captured her father. She hoped that by cooperating with them, she could secure his release. However, when she reads the torn page during the chase through Central Park, she discovers her father has already died in Dachau, leaving her devastated.

  • leda hamilton
  • nazi spies
  • coercion
  • father
  • dachau
Q2

What were the fivers mentioned in the movie?

The fivers were Nazi fifth columnists - underground agents operating in America who worked to sabotage Allied interests from within. The term referred to their infiltration of American society to carry out terrorist operations against military targets.

  • fifth columnists
  • nazi spies
  • saboteurs
  • underground
Q3

Why did Pepi shoot Joe Denning at the nightclub?

Pepi killed Joe Denning because Joe witnessed something he shouldn't have at the nightclub. As Leda's piano player, Pepi was working as part of the Nazi operation, and Joe became a liability who needed to be eliminated to keep the spy ring's activities secret.

  • pepi
  • joe denning
  • murder
  • nightclub
  • nazi spy
Q4

How did Gloves survive the explosive-loaded motorboat?

Hall Ebbing forced Gloves at gunpoint to steer a motorboat packed with explosives toward the battleship. Gloves used quick thinking to steer the boat off course toward the docks, then jumped into the water just before impact. The boat exploded on the docks instead of the battleship, killing Ebbing.

  • explosives
  • battleship
  • motorboat
  • ebbing
  • escape
Q5

What was Joe Denning's five-finger signal about?

Before dying from his wound, Joe Denning raised five fingers to signal Gloves about the fivers - the Nazi fifth columnists. This clue helped point Gloves toward the Nazi spy ring as the culprits behind Miller's murder and the broader conspiracy.

  • five fingers
  • fivers
  • fifth column
  • clue
  • signal
Q6

Why did Leda knock Gloves out at the auction house?

Leda knocked Gloves out and tied him up because she was still operating under orders from the Nazi spies. She had to maintain her cover, so she temporarily incapacitated Gloves. However, she later returned to free him and Sunny, revealing the Nazi hideout and helping them escape.

  • leda
  • auction house
  • knock out
  • trap
  • nazi
Q7

Why did Hall Ebbing kill his own assistant Pepi?

Ebbing killed Pepi after the failed underground meeting because Pepi refused to join him in the final attack on the battleship. When Pepi showed unwillingness to participate in the suicide mission, Ebbing shot him and proceeded alone to carry out the sabotage.

  • hall ebbing
  • pepi
  • murder
  • battleship attack
Q8

How did Gloves get the rival gang members to help fight the Nazis?

After Marty Callahan and his gang came to exact revenge for Joe Denning's murder, Gloves convinced them of his innocence by explaining the Nazi conspiracy. He successfully turned the rival gangsters into allies against the common enemy, uniting both gangs to raid the Nazi hideout.

  • marty callahan
  • gangs
  • nazi hideout
  • unite
  • allies
Q9

What was Leda Hamilton's real name and background?

Leda Hamilton's real name was Uda Hammel, a Jewish woman whose father had been taken by the Nazis. She was originally from Austria and had experienced the horrors of Nazi Germany firsthand, which added personal stakes to her involvement with the spy ring.

  • uda hammel
  • jewish
  • dachau
  • identity
  • nazi atrocities
Q10

Why did police suspect Gloves of killing Joe Denning?

Gloves became a suspect because he was present at the nightclub during the murder and had confrontations with the victims earlier that night. Additionally, he accidentally left one of his gloves at the crime scene, which initially made him look guilty to the authorities.

  • gloves
  • evidence
  • police
  • suspect
  • arrest
Q11

Why were Mr. Miller and his bakery important to the Nazi plot?

Mr. Miller was revealed to be connected to the Nazi spy ring - his name appeared in the notebook at the Nazi hideout. He was likely murdered because he was either a member of the operation or knew too much about their plans to sabotage the battleship.

  • miller
  • bakery
  • nazi connection
  • murder plot

Movie threads

More Movies Like All Through the Night, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes All Through the Night tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Civilians fighting spies like in All Through the Night

Ordinary people discovering and fighting enemy plots on their own doorstep. If you enjoyed the high-stakes adventure of All Through the Night, you'll like these movies where everyday people become unlikely heroes. This list features similar stories of civilians uncovering wartime conspiracies, combining tense thriller plots with characters out of their depth.

  • conspiratorial
  • urgent
  • suspenseful
  • dangerous
  • investigative
  • hopeful
  • Tone: tense, urgent, suspenseful
  • Pacing: fast, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with an average person stumbling upon a clue to a larger conspiracy, often linked to war or political extremism. They are initially disbelieved or become targets themselves, forcing them to investigate alone or with a small band of allies. The story is a propulsive investigation, filled with close calls and chases, culminating in a direct confrontation where the amateur heroes must stop the threat.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared premise of the 'accidental spy.' They blend the high tension of espionage with the relatable perspective of a non-professional, creating a unique mix of danger and resourcefulness. The pacing is fast, the stakes are national or global, and the tone is urgent and suspenseful.

Movies with criminal heroes like in All Through the Night

Rogues and outlaws stepping up to fight a greater evil for their community. Fans of Humphrey Bogart's gangster-turned-patriot in All Through the Night will appreciate these films. Discover similar movies featuring charismatic criminals and underworld figures who become unlikely saviors, blending anti-hero charm with propulsive action-thriller plots.

  • gritty
  • charismatic
  • redemptive
  • tense
  • action-packed
  • hopeful
  • Tone: tense, gritty, hopeful
  • Pacing: fast, action-oriented
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The journey centers on a self-serving anti-hero whose world is disrupted by an external, often ideological, threat. This forces a moral choice: remain in their criminal lane or use their specific talents for a cause. Their arc involves leveraging their underworld connections, grit, and cynicism in a new, righteous context, often finding redemption or a new purpose through the conflict.

Why they belong together: This grouping focuses on a specific character archetype: the capable rogue who redeems themselves by facing a greater evil. The appeal lies in the contrast between the protagonist's rough edges and their ultimately heroic actions. The tone often mixes hard-boiled dialogue and action with a underlying sense of hope and moral reckoning.

If you liked this

Movies Like All Through the Night

Similar movies to All Through the Night: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

All Through the Night (1942) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about All Through the Night in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app