Night and the City (1950)

Director: Jules Dassin                                   Writer: Joe Eisinger
Film Score: Franz Waxman                           Cinematography: Mutz Greenbaum
Starring: Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney, Hugh Marlowe and Herbert Lom

In the fifties the British film studio Hammer did a series of noir films before they found their métier in the horror genre. Their crime/suspense films aren’t really all that successful as noir films, partly because of the location and partly because of the lack of real menace in London. Jules Dassin’s Night and the City suffers from the same problem because of the London location. Granted, there was a mob of sorts and a thriving criminal element in London at the time, but without the kind of ruthless malevolence of something like the New York or Chicago crime syndicates, there’s a decided lack of genuine fear of the kind that underlays most American noir films and thus Richard Widmark’s plight lacks the kind of suspense that a similar film would have if set in urban America.

Widmark plays a ne’er do well who is always trying to strike it rich with one crazy idea after another. He works regularly as a hustler steering rich customers to a London nightclub that specializes in getting gentlemen to spend their cash. His latest get-rich-quick scheme is to become a wrestling promoter. His long-suffering wife, Gene Tierney, has heard it all, however, and just wants him to settle down to a regular job. Upstairs lives the artist, Hugh Marlowe, who feels bad for Tierney and loans her money when she needs to bail Widmark out of his numerous jams. The latest problem is caused when the foremost wrestling promoter in London, Herbert Lom, doesn’t like Widmark muscling in on his business. But Widmark has other irons in the fire and these are what, in the end, burn him.

Widmark does an admirable job, but ever since his role as Tommy Udo in Kiss of Death, he has seemed more effective in villainous roles, like in Pickup on South Street, or even lat in his career in Coma. The crux of the matter here seems to be simply money, with Widmark making an all out effort to make his wrestling promotion a success and the prospect of going broke the only threat. Honestly, it doesn’t seem like enough. Gene Tierney is used sparingly and that is also a disappointment. She only turns up when Widmark needs money or to be bailed out of trouble. Herbert Lom, for as small a role as he has, is terrific. He commanding and confident and a treat to see onscreen. The second half is definitely better than the first, where Widmark is on the run for his life. But it seems like desperation more than doom in the end, and Widmark makes a stupid mistake in attempting to elude capture.

The film exists in two versions, the British with a score by Benjamin Frankel and more character development. The score by Franz Waxman is far more extensive and emotional, but that version leaves out the development and that’s another reason it tends not to rise above the pack. Jules Dassin’s other noir films, The Naked City and Brute Force, are definitely not at the top of my list, though for me this is the best of the three. The thing that probably buoys it up the most is the superb production design and the cinematography. It’s a very good looking film, beautifully photographed. In the end, however, it’s a film for Widmark fans as he has the bulk of the screen time. It’s a solid nor film, but certainly no more. Night and the City, for all it’s A-list pedigree, is a good effort and a very enjoyable film, but something less than a classic.