Clash by Night (play)

Clash by Night is a 1941 play written by American playwright Clifford Odets. It is a drama exploring themes of jealousy, disillusionment, and the search for meaning in working-class life during the pre-World War II era. The play is set in a small fishing town on the Monterey Peninsula of California. It tells the story of Mae Wilenski, a woman who returns to her hometown after years spent living in the city. She seeks a more stable and grounded life but finds herself torn between two men: Jerry Wilenski, a good-natured and hardworking fisherman whom she marries, and Earl Pfeiffer, a charismatic but unstable movie projectionist. The play charts Mae's internal conflict and the destructive consequences of her choices on herself and those around her. While initially a commercial failure on Broadway, Clash by Night has seen subsequent revivals and adaptations, including a 1952 film adaptation starring Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, and Robert Ryan. The play is noted for its naturalistic dialogue and its portrayal of the struggles of working-class Americans.