Night and the City reminds me of Cronenberg’s recent Eastern Promises, in it’s violent immediacy and the “I can’t look away” quality that permeates every scene. It’s not just violent, but makes me cringe whenever a punch is pulled. Violence isn’t glorified, and neither is the life on the edge. Richard Widmark stars as Harry Fabian, a man of great ideas but who has no money, bad luck and a fleeting attention span. When one of the al time greatest wrestlers drops down, as if from heaven, into his lap he quickly decides to become a wrestling promoter and quickly and efficiently begins to con everyone around him so his dream will finally come true. Unfortunately for Harry, the fates are against him and natural charm and cleverness are not enough to bring him to the top. As I have already mentioned, the film brings the viewer straight into the action, delivering some of the most hard hitting scenes ever commited to celluloid. The wrestling match between The Strangler and Gregorius the Great will have you both on your toes and cringing in pain. Unlike most noirs, the film is set in London, and the dark, ancient and twisted streets add to the high contrast lighting and tense atmosphere. This film is a more than pleasent surprise, and I recommend it to all fans of Dassin or noir. Credit should also go to Richard Widmark as this is quite possibly his greatest performance. Truly unforgetteable.
