Late one night in Los Angeles, oil geologist Elliott Carson witnesses his girlfriend, heiress Jean Courtland, attempt suicide by leaping before an oncoming train, but manages to stop her.

Upon deciding that John's psychic gifts are legitimate, Whitney uses him to make gambling decisions and play the stock market, amassing a small fortune in the process.

John proceeds to recount to Elliott that three months earlier, he read a newspaper article about Whitney, who, after striking oil on his Oklahoma property and growing immensely wealthy, relocated to Bunker Hill and established a business there.

Moments later, the assailant attacks her, but John thwarts the murder attempt, only to be shot to death by police who arrive on the scene and assume him to be an accomplice.

[3] Leonard Mendlowitz of the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph gave the film a favorable review, deeming it "a completely unbelievable piece of hocus-pocus [that] turns out to be better than fair movie material due to its fine cast and taut direction.

In his book Art of Noir, Eddie Muller writes: "No film more faithfully captured Woolrich's sense of doomed predestination than Night Has a Thousand Eyes.

"[9] Time Out Film Guide, however (in spite of praising the cinematography by John F. Seitz), gives the thriller a negative review: "Aside from the fine opening sequence -- Lund's rescue of Gail Russell from the brink of suicide, and discovery of her mortal terror of the stars -- a disappointing adaptation of Cornell Woolrich's superb novel.

"[10] A Variety review noted, "John Farrow's sure directorial hand is seen throughout unfolding of picture, scripted melodramatically by Barre [sic] Lyndon and Jonathan Latimer," and spoke positively of the cast, with the exception of Lund.

[12] The film's main theme (written by Jerry Brainin and Buddy Bernier) became a jazz standard, having been recorded by Horace Silver, Carmen McRae, Harry Beckett, Paul Desmond and John Coltrane, among others.