Night and the City

Directed by Jules Dassin, Night and the City follows Richard Widmark’s Harry Fabian as he attempts to scheme and swindle his way into becoming a nightclub owner. Dassin, armed with Jo Eisinger’s screenplay, delivers a compelling drama that grows more and more engrossing as it unfolds, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that the picture benefits substantially from Max Greene’s stylish visuals and a thoroughly, impressively commanding lead performance by Widmark – with, in terms of the latter, the actor’s consistently engaging turn elevating the proceedings and matched by stellar periphery players like Gene Tierney, Francis L. Sullivan, and Herbert Lom. It’s clear, as well, that Night and the City benefits from its smattering of enthralling interludes and set-pieces, while the stirring, memorable finale ultimately ensures that the whole thing concludes on about as positive a note as one could envision – thus confirming the movie’s place as an exceptional effort from a first-class filmmaker.

***1/2 out of ****