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Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney, Googie Withers, Hugh Marlowe, Francis L. Sullivan ... see more see more... , Herbert Lom , Stanislaus Zbyszko , Mike Mazurki , Charles Farrell , Ada Reeve , Ken Richmond , Derek Blomfield , Edward Chapman , Maureen Delaney , Aubrey Dexter , James Hayter , Kay Kendall , Eliot Makeham , Gibb McLaughlin , Thomas Gallagher , Betty Shale , Russell Westwood

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 ra... read more read more...ises 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

Flixster Users

87% liked it

3,043 ratings

Critics

75% liked it

16 critics

R, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Jules Dassin

Release Date: April 1, 1950

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DVD Release Date: February 1, 2005

Stats: 229 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (229)

  • flixsterman
    February 27, 2011
    flixsterman
    As my dear old grandmother used to say, before she gave up prostitution to become a carnival barker, "I am loving me some Richard Widmark!"
  • matertenebraum
    February 10, 2011
    matertenebraum
    Imagine Charles Dickens had to make a bit of extra money by writing B-movies in Hollywood and you might get close to imagining this haunting, wonderful film. It fuses the best traditions of film noir with a very British atmosphere: a cast of character actors playing vividly drawn... read more and desperate people.

    There's a mournful tone to the whole film, like a boat's siren drifting across a foggy Thames. All the characters seem to be reaching for their hearts desire, wanting to believe in a dream of a better tomorrow, in something that's real and true for them. But they rip into each other trying to get there. That gives the film a poignant, tragic trajectory.

    A compelling central performance by Richard Widmark as Harry Fabian, a man with flair and drive and an infectious hope, but a man who lacks something like the moral fibre to be honest. A man always looking for a shortcut. A nearly-great man, an almost classically tragic figure. Googie Withers is a revelation as Helen, a woman who seems cynical but has hopes and dreams just like Fabian (just like all our characters).

    So much I haven't even mentioned, the sweaty muscular wrestling scenes are are action scenes of the best kind, in that they drive and skew the plot as well as holding our attention. So many good performances. And a film that speaks to our hopes and our flaws and the tragic spaces between the two.

    Any Londoner or person who loves the atmosphere of that city should check it out too, some lovely old footage of Trafalgar Square and Picadilly.
  • ajv2688
    October 25, 2010
    ajv2688
    One of my absolute favourite film noirs. I love Widmark in this movie, I think this is his best performance ever. The story is realistic, exciting, and dramatic. I love this movie, it's one of my favourites.
  • jjnxn
    February 21, 2009
    jjnxn
    Richard Widmark offers up his usual superlative performance, Gene Tierney is underused but all in all a fine gritty noir.
  • kenstachnik
    May 12, 2008
    kenstachnik
    A perfect film noir using every film convention to their utmost potency.

    Distilled Noir

    100% Columbian Noir

    This shit will make you crazzzy.
  • tsigur
    July 6, 2007
    tsigur
    Richard Widmark is genius!
  • DrZeek
    April 30, 2007
    DrZeek
    Phil Nosseross, Silver Fox Club: You don't know what you're getting into.
    Helen Nosseross: I know what I'm getting out of.

    Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood, but this classic Noir, did not grasp me the way the other recent Noirs that I have seen did.

    Here we have basically... read more a con man work his way into a wrestling promotion career. Gene Tierney is also around and good looking as the women involed.

    To me the plot just wasn't to engaging I guess. The dialogue hits the right notes for the most part, with a few unintentionally funny scenes, but still not enough.

    Although, the film was shot on location in London, and the director of photography puts that aspect to great use, as this is a very good looking movie.

    Googin the Forger: If you ain't got socks you can't pull 'em up, can you?
  • mjgildea
    April 15, 2007
    mjgildea
    NOT the 92 version, the 1950 version. One of the watermarks of film noir.
  • fb100000398655007
    May 7, 2012
    fb100000398655007
    Belongs on the list of the greatest film noirs of all time. This is a very well produced film. I was blow away by how good this was. The best part has to be the acting. Why can't they act like they did back then now-a-days? This also had great character development. I got to know... read more what drove the characters and what they where like. This film got straight to the point and didn't waist any time with unnecessary scenes. I found it interesting that the main character was a hustler throughout the film and in the end he still was a hustler only to have hurt himself. People never change. I guess that's the moral of the story if I'm not mistaken. The writing was also really good. I had a hard time keeping up but for the most part I understood it. That wrestling scene was very well directed. It was a cool scene nevertheless. If you like classic film noir then you can't miss this one.
  • codyfranklin2
    July 30, 2007
    codyfranklin2
    Best Film ever made about the London Wrestling scene.

View All Night and the City Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
April 15, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

Jules Dassin, in his direction, manages extraordinarily interesting backgrounds, realistically filmed to create a feeling both of suspense and mounting menace. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
January 28, 2006
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

A pointless, trashy yarn. Full Review

Michael Atkinson
March 25, 2003
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice

A moody piece of Wellesian chiaroscuro (shot by Max Greene, né Mutz Greenbaum) and an occasionally discomfiting underworld plunge. Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Before he met Melina Mercouri and became an Artist, Jules Dassin made a number of worthwhile thrillers as a Hollywood contract director. Full Review

April 15, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

A dark, brooding noir, with Widmark riveting as a hustling promoter who sinks into the quagmire of his own ambitions. Full Review

Tom Milne
January 26, 2006
Tom Milne, Time Out

Inclined to go over the top, it all too clearly contains the seeds of Dassin's later -- and disastrous -- pretensions. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
April 3, 2005
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

One of the true-blue noir classics. RIchard Widmark is a certifiable force of nature.

Chris Barsanti
February 20, 2005
Chris Barsanti, Filmcritic.com

the rare masterpiece that earns the appellation not by announcing its grand intentions but by following them through with sublime confidence and precision Full Review

Nick Schager
February 15, 2005
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

The archetypal film noir. Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

A quality cast give vivid performances in a stylish and sharply written thriller with some striking visual flourishes. Full Review

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Night and the City Trivia

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  • In The Crow, what is the name of the holiday that the bad guys celebrate by robbing and destroying the city?  Answer »
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