Midnight

Midnight

Year: 1989

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Director: Norman Thaddeus Vane

HorrorComedy

Midnight, the sultry late‑night horror‑movie hostess, runs the highest‑rated TV show. When scheming Mr. B tries to steal the program’s rights, a rivalry ignites and quickly turns violent. The playful banter soon devolves into a deadly power struggle. As the battle intensifies, she may be forced to find a day job and rebrand herself as “High Noon.”

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Midnight (1989)

Trace every key event in Midnight (1989) 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

Moscone hires Walsh to bring Mardukas in

Bail bondsman Eddie Moscone hires Jack Walsh to locate Jonathan Mardukas and return him to Los Angeles within five days. Mardukas had embezzled $15 million from mob boss Jimmy Serrano and donated it to charity before jumping the bail. Moscone offers Walsh $50,000 for the job, but Walsh counters for $100,000.

Los Angeles
2

Walsh pockets Mosely's ID and uses it to impersonate an FBI agent

Walsh accepts the job and pockets Special Agent Alonzo Mosely's badge, using it to pose as an FBI agent during his journey. The deception helps him slip past some obstacles, but it also risks exposure as law enforcement closes in. His ruse marks the start of a dangerous, high-stakes chase.

Los Angeles
3

Serrano's men offer a fortune to turn over Mardukas

Serrano's henchmen attempt to buy Walsh's cooperation for $1 million, hoping to obtain Mardukas without a fight. Walsh refuses the bribe, insisting he will do the job on his own terms. The offer raises the stakes and foreshadows more dangerous confrontations ahead.

Los Angeles
4

Walsh locates Mardukas in New York and calls Moscone; FBI line tapped

Walsh tracks Mardukas to New York City and calls Moscone from the airport, unaware that the FBI is listening in on the line. Moscone's assistant Jerry secretly tips off Serrano's men, sabotaging Walsh's leverage. The pursuit across the country heats up as law enforcement closes in.

New York City / Airport
5

Mardukas reveals fear of flying; cross-country train trip

Mardukas admits he fears flying, forcing Walsh to abandon an air route in favor of a cross-country train journey. The pair battles travel delays and new threats as they move toward Los Angeles. This change in transportation lengthens the pursuit and tests their partnership.

Cross-country train route
6

Dorfler corners them in Pittsburgh and tries to take Mardukas

Marvin Dorfler, Walsh's rival, locates the duo on a train in Pittsburgh and makes a bid to seize Mardukas from Walsh. Walsh escapes with Mardukas, foiling Dorfler's immediate plan. The confrontation accelerates the manhunt across the country.

Pittsburgh
7

Walsh loses funds when Dorfler cancels his credit card

Walsh attempts to buy bus tickets with a credit card but discovers Dorfler has canceled it, cutting off his funds. With no money, he improvises by stealing cars, riding a bus in Fremont, Ohio, and hitchhiking toward Amarillo, Texas. The lack of money heightens the danger of their journey.

Fremont, Ohio; Amarillo, Texas
8

FBI task force intensifies the nationwide hunt

Meanwhile, FBI Special Agent Alonzo Mosely leads a task force across the United States to locate Walsh and Mardukas after the train skirmish. The search expands as more agents are brought in and the chase grows more complex. The pursuit shifts from a simple bounty to a nationwide manhunt.

United States (cross-country pursuit)
9

Walsh's past comes back to haunt him

Walsh reveals his past as an undercover Chicago cop who nearly brought down a drug dealer connected to Serrano. Corrupt officers planted heroin to frame him, forcing his resignation and leading him to bounty hunting. His wife divorced him and they have not seen their daughter in nine years.

Ten years earlier Chicago
10

Sedona attack: Dorfler steals Mardukas and Mosely closes in

In Sedona, Dorfler steals Mardukas from Walsh, triggering a chase that brings Walsh into contact with Agent Mosely again. Dorfler accidentally reveals Mardukas's location to Serrano's men during a phone confrontation with Moscone. The situation escalates as Serrano's henchmen move in.

Sedona, Arizona
11

Walsh plays Serrano with disks and a wire

Walsh convinces Serrano that he has computer disks capable of convicting him and arranges to deliver them in exchange for Mardukas's return to Los Angeles and immunity from prosecution for impersonating an FBI agent. He agrees to wear a wire for the exchange, hoping to trap Serrano.

Along the road toward Los Angeles
12

The exchange is interrupted; FBI closes in

Dorfler interrupts the planned swap, inadvertently disabling Walsh's wire. Serrano and his henchmen are surrounded and arrested by FBI agents. The scheme collapses just as Walsh secures a potential trip home with Mardukas.

Desert road
13

Arrival in Los Angeles; Walsh lets Mardukas go

Walsh and Mardukas arrive in Los Angeles, where Walsh realizes Mardukas will be killed in prison. He chooses to set him free and gives him a watch that his ex-wife gave him before their marriage. Mardukas thanks Walsh and departs on his own path.

Los Angeles
14

Mardukas gifts Walsh money; taxi scene ends the journey

Mardukas hands Walsh a money belt containing $300,000 as a gift, insisting it's not a payoff. Walsh tries to pay a taxi driver with a $1,000 bill for change, but the driver refuses. The scene ends with Walsh stepping into the street and walking home.

Los Angeles

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 16:00

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Midnight Summary

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Midnight Summary

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