Night and the City -- What Makes This Movie Great? (Episode 138)

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Disclaimer: All reasonable comments are welcome, including reasoned disagreements. You will be banned for foolish talk, harassment, and hate speech on sight; it's a tremendous waste of life. I believe in freedom of association and, by extension, freedom of dissociation from you.

[@Crashking416]

You just can't go wrong with Jules Dassin. This, "The Naked City," and "Rififi" are film noir at its peak.

[@francine38]

This film and director are completely new to me. It will be a great pick for my next Sunday morning noir watch. Excellent, detailed discussion! I can’t wait to watch then come back to consider your video with my own thoughts.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you. have fun!

[@immaterialimmaterial5195]

Ticks every noir box there is! Must watch it again. Richard Widmark is a legend.

[@TeagueChrystie]

Fantastic. Thanks!

[@darthbaggins007]

I just watched this movie for the first time a few days ago lol

[@danielbarrero2815]

Great vid!

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Robert Mitchum was what men wanted to be in Noir but they were really Richard Widmark.

[@prilljazzatlanta5070]

I adore Night and the City. Richard Widmark is my favorite actor of that post war set of guys at least until we get to Jack Lemmon. This is one of the top top film noirs ever made and I think it still translates well today, especially since i like to see it as a Pulp Fiction story that gets its own film.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

yes, this movie could certainly be remade today! There's an idea for a filmmaker.

[@slambot71]

@@LearningaboutMovies Tough act to follow, though.

[@arifshahabuddin8888]

I will have to see this film. Jules Dassin reminds me of "Topkapi" and "Topkapi" reminds me of his son Joe Dassin. Joe had some small roles in his father's films, including "Topkapi", but he became more famous as a legendary French crooner of the 1960s an 1970s. When I was an undergrad in Montreal in the 1990s, you were guaranteed to hear at least one of his songs every day on the radio. Tragically, he died young of a heart condition. Wikipedia lists several of his most famous songs. My favorites include "A toi" and "Et si tu n'existais pas." Take an ecouche (a listen) when you get a chance.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

great stuff, thank you! Did not know this.

[@jimmyj1969]

Dassins's best film - alongside "Rififi des les hommes"! As a greek, it hurts me say the following, but it's true that his love for Melina Merkouri ruined him, artistically speaking. Yes, he made a few fun movies (like TopKapi), but overall he was shooting movies for her, not for himself...

[@lanceb.]

Gene Tierney was the bonus.

[@JHarder1000]

I had never heard of this film. Thank you. As far as movies go, you are my teacher.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

you're welcome. have fun with this!

[@ronaldmilner8932]

Hi Professor - Did you hear about the passing of Monica Vitti? She died at the age of 90. Your thoughts?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I didn't notice this until you brought it up. RIP. Obviously a key face and actress for a major artist.

[@alanwatson4249]

Great stuff Josh. A favourite film and director. There is a really good supporting cast, Francis L.Sullivan in particular. Similarity with the noirs of Welles and Reed very interesting. I feel that Widmark is a character like his Skip McCoy in Fuller's 'Pick up on South Street'. It's surprising, and unfortunate, that London was not used more in noirs of the 40s and 50s - it really lends itself to the paranoia that Harry Fabian suffers with Dassin's direction. Please do a chat about 'Rififi' for I think that is the more important and better film. Really good stuff.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you. Pickup is a good one. Yes, Rififi is on my longer list. Probably getting to it later this year or 2023.

[@alanwatson4249]

@@LearningaboutMovies I think that you'll like this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGOpZGSJbb-gZ9k

[@slambot71]

A great movie. One item left out of this otherwise fine review is that by the end of the movie every single character in the movie is a loser except one: the artist seen working on clay in a clip in this review. I am not spoiling anything here. Film Noir tends to have far more losers than winners. Every character in the movie, except 2, are disingenuous low lifes. You wouldn't lend a dollar to any of them. Night and the City has a great atmosphere of deception and greed without being over the top or unbelievable. It is available for viewing on KZbin.

[@ezbozovago]

How Fabian is so different from Fabian in Gerald Kersh's novel....he is no hero in the original, infact he is a louse.