Night and the City (1950) Reviews

Night and the City (1950)
Member Rating:  
Jules Dassin's Night and the City opens with cheap grifter Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark) running for his life through the streets of London. Harry wants to be big-time, and he does not care how he raises cash for his schemes. Like a junkie, he uses and steals from his girlfriend Mary (Gene Tierney), a singer at the Silver Fox, a seedy nightclub owned by the physically grotesque Phil Nosseross Francis L. Sullivan. Harry, who also works for Phil steering unsuspecting customers to the club, comes up with a plan to wrest control of professional wrestling from promoter and underworld kingpin Kristo (Herbert Lom) by manipulating Kristo through his father, retired wrestling great Gregorius (Stanislaus Zbyszko). For financial backing, Harry turns to Phil and Phil's wife Helen Googie Withers, both of whom give him the money, but only to further their own ends. When Gregorius is accidentally killed by his protege's upcoming opponent, Strangler (Mike Mazurki), and Phil realizes that Helen is leaving him for Harry, the scheme quickly unravels. Truly a glimpse of hell, Night and the City's distorted visuals and dark symbolism depict an underworld from which there is no escape and in which redemption comes at a very high price. ~ Steve Press, Rovi

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Starring:
Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney, (more)
Director(s):
Jules Dassin
Format(s):
DVD
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Average Ratings

(12 member reviews)  

Member Reviews

Grace and Howard G.

It's a story about pride going before the fall, an illustrative tale showing the difference between clever and smart. Richard Widmark plays somebody who thinks he is clever, but like all clever people, he thinks he puts one over on all the 'stupid' people he is scamming. He seems to be the only one surprised by the ending, too late to alter the outcome he created, and too late for him to realize he wasn't nearly as smart as he thought he was. Unlike most film noir, this one kept me awake.

Yes   |   No


Sydney A.

A tale of someone "who wants to be somebody". Great cast as Richard Widmark plays his loser thug card to love him and hate him. Jules Dassin does an unbelievable job of directing this well written story with all the Film Noir attributes we could want from a movie filmed in 1950. Gene Tierney as beautiful as always and Francis L. Sullivan does a respected performance as the Silver Fox's owner. Key to this movie is that Drassin does a great job in showing us all the wants and needs from the characters in this film. Highly recommend.

Yes   |   No


Andy D.

This is in the Criterion Collection for a good reason it is a excellent movie about a man named Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark) who tries to make it into the BIG TIME. Fabian has many obsticles in his way to the BIG TIME and watching him trying to overcome them is truly spell-binding.

Yes   |   No


James V.

Another Jules Dassin knockout, NIGHT & THE CITY gives Richard Widmark one his best roles (among many), doesn't give Gene Tierney much screen time (watch the Dassin interview to learn why) but she's as good as she's ever been, and brings together post-WWII London, pro wrestling, after-hours clubs, a guy who tries hard to succeed but can’t help being a grifter and a supporting cast of fascinating characters--each written & acted to the hilt. Only the heavy-handed musical score occasionally interferes. The movie is funny, bleak, poignant, exciting & one of Dassin's--maybe his single--best. As usual, along with all else, it deals with the workplace & the ways in which people earn their living. The Criterion transfer--of a film made fast & on a shoestring--is good, with only a few grainy sections. The first-class DVD interview with Dassin looks to have been taken from one session, then split into sections, each given over to a specific film. What a talent this fellow is--and what a guy!

Yes   |   No


Korby S.

A great example of film noir. What a bunch of unpleasant characters. Gene Tierney doesn't get much screen time (do women really love such losers?) Widmark is intense and crazed - "an artist without an art." The extras are wonderful.

Yes   |   No


Timothy P.

Dark,ugly,and realistic.One man's ambition to be somebody,brings destruction to all around him.Classical Greek hubris.Richard Widmark at his best with strong performances all away around especially from Stanislaus Zbyszko as the "Old School upstanding wrestler.Film Noir at it's best with no gun's ,but plenty of violence and dread.

Yes   |   No


James G.

not bad!!

Yes   |   No


Nick T.

Pretty goood film noir. The last half hours was fantastic. There also seemed to be a little bit too much overacting, but the music was fantstic.

Yes   |   No


Dan C.

Watch the discussion with J. Dassin before seeing the movie. Doing so will help contextualize the film in its time and circumstances. This will make it much more watchable. It won't, however, make it any better than embryonic in the film noir bin -- almost there but not quite. Widmark is inconsistent, sincere then chewing the curtains. Disappointing overall. Don't waste you time unless you are a real fan of the noir genre.

Yes   |   No


Elizabeth M.

This is a classic movie. It's slow and a bit obvious.

Yes   |   No


 
 
 

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    Grace and Howard G.

    It's a story about pride going before the fall, an illustrative tale showing the difference between clever and smart. Richard Widmark plays somebody who thinks he is clever, but like all clever people, he thinks he puts one over on all the 'stupid' people he is scamming. He seems to be the only one surprised by the ending, too late to alter the outcome he created, and too late for him to realize he wasn't nearly as smart as he thought he was. Unlike most film noir, this one kept me awake.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Sydney A.

    A tale of someone "who wants to be somebody". Great cast as Richard Widmark plays his loser thug card to love him and hate him. Jules Dassin does an unbelievable job of directing this well written story with all the Film Noir attributes we could want from a movie filmed in 1950. Gene Tierney as beautiful as always and Francis L. Sullivan does a respected performance as the Silver Fox's owner. Key to this movie is that Drassin does a great job in showing us all the wants and needs from the characters in this film. Highly recommend.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Andy D.

    This is in the Criterion Collection for a good reason it is a excellent movie about a man named Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark) who tries to make it into the BIG TIME. Fabian has many obsticles in his way to the BIG TIME and watching him trying to overcome them is truly spell-binding.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Read All 12 Reviews
       

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