The Public Eye (1992)

Story of a 1940s photographer who specializes in crime and in not getting involved... until this time.

Director:

Howard Franklin

Writer:

Howard Franklin

Stars:

Joe Pesci, Richard Riehle, Bryan Travis Smith

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joe Pesci	...	Leon Bernstein
Richard Riehle	...	Officer O'Brien
Bryan Travis Smith	...	Young Cop
Max Brooks	...	Teen at Thompson Street
Richard Schiff	...	Thompson Street Photographer
Laura Cerón	...	Puerto Rican Woman
Chuck Gillespie	...	Cop at Puerto Rican Tenement
Christian Stolte	...	Ambulance Attendant (as Christian Stolti)
Jack Denbo	...	Photo Editor
Ellen McElduff	...	Lonely Woman at Drugstore
Marge Kotlisky	...	Rineman's Receptionist
Timothy Hendrickson	...	Richard Rineman
Del Close	...	H.R. Rineman
Henry Bolzon	...	Cafe Society Photographer
Jared Harris	...	Danny the Doorman

Storyline

Leon Bernstein is New York's best news photographer in 1942, equally at home with cops or crooks. The pictures are often of death and pain, but they are the ones the others wish they had got. Then glamorous Kay Levitz turns to him when the Mob seem to be muscling in on the club she owns due to some arrangement with her late husband. Bernstein, none too successful with women, agrees to help, saying there may be some good photos in it for him. In fact, he is falling in love with Kay.

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Plot Keywords:

photographer | mob | news photographer | picture | 1940s | 

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Taglines:

Murder. Scandal. Crime. No matter what he was shooting, "The Great Bernzini" never took sides, he only took pictures... Except once.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Testemunha Ocular

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$3,067,917 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character of Bernzy was inspired by real-life photographer Arthur 'Weegee' Fellig, and some of Bernzy's photos are in fact Fellig's.

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Goofs

When Kay leafs through Bernstein' photo album, there is picture of a New York City taxi with a rectangular roof light which displays not only the word "Taxi" but also whether the taxi is off duty and its medallion number. Those signs did not come into service until the 1960s. In the 1940s, when the movie is set, New York City taxis used a variety of curved roof lights used in most other cities.

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Quotes

Kay Levitz: It doesn't matter what people say unless you believe them.

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Connections

References Don't Turn 'em Loose (1936)

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Soundtracks

"Embraceable You"
(1928, first published 1930)
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Performed by Roy Eldridge
Courtesy of MCA Records

User Reviews

Wonderful Score, Definitely a Hidden Gem

Movies should be able to transport you to the time and place without much effort. "The Public Eye" does so. I saw this in -- of all places -- a redeye bus trip from New York to DC, and this only enhanced the viewing enjoyment. This is definitely a movie to "get into the mood" for 40's noir, down to the gritty life of the City After Dark.

This one keeps getting overlooked as one of the best of the 90's. See this one.