Night and the City (1992)

The story about a cheating and incompetent lawyer (Harry Fabian) who suddenly gets obsessed on becoming a boxing promoter.

Director:

Irwin Winkler

Writers:

Gerald Kersh (novel), Richard Price (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange, Cliff Gorman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert De Niro	...	Harry Fabian
Jessica Lange	...	Helen Nasseros
Cliff Gorman	...	Phil Nasseros
Alan King	...	Ira 'Boom Boom' Grossman
Jack Warden	...	Al Grossman
Eli Wallach	...	Peck
Barry Primus	...	Tommy Tessler
Gene Kirkwood	...	Resnick
Gerard Murphy	...	Steel Jaw #1 (as Gerry Murphy)
Clem Caserta	...	Steel Jaw #2
Anthony Canarozzi	...	Emmett Gorgon
David W. Butler	...	John Bonney
Byron Utley	...	Frisker at Disco Club
Margo Winkler	...	Judge Parker
Maurice Shrog	...	Gym Manager

Storyline

Robert DeNiro and Jessica Lange are the most impossible couple. He's a failed lawyer. She's a common waitress. Together they get in a downward spiral, as they can't seem to deal with their problems. The lawyer just failed winning a case in court against a famous boxing organizer and he wants revenge by catching the organizer on his own territory: boxing. Although he knows nothing about boxing, with his fine talk he finds the help of a couple of people like the brother of his new enemy. But the relationship with his waitress doesn't make things double as hard.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | new york city | remake | based on novel | independent film | 

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Taglines:

When you're down to your last dream, you either live it or lose it.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 October 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

La loi de la nuit

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$6,202,756

Company Credits

Production Co:

Penta Films, Tribeca Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the original draft, Harry Fabian (Robert De Niro) is killed by a stab wound at the end of the movie, which stayed true to the original Jules Dassin film's ending. This was changed later during production.

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Quotes

Judge Parker: Fabian - get the fuck out of my court.

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Connections

Version of Night and the City (1950)

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Soundtracks

I'll Always Love You
Written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
Performed by Dean Martin
Courtesy of Capitol Records by arrangement with Cema Special Markets

User Reviews

Slice-of-low-life melodrama

NIGHT AND THE CITY (1992) *** Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange, Alan King, Cliff Gorman, Jack Warden, Barry Primus. Slice-of-low-life portrait remake of 1940 Richard Widmark flick casts De Niro as ambulance chasing attorney Harry Fabian trying to score big-time as a boxing promoter with the help of his lady love (Lange in an uncharacteristically unglamourous role) and the ex-fighter brother (Warden) of his chief nemesis (King in a humdinger of chilly malevolence as the corrupt boxing mogul). Feisty and surprisingly funny script courtesy of Richard Price (in a bit role as a doctor) has its moments of ugliness and sudden downshift into tragedy. De Niro, at times over-the-top, is the life-force to this otherwise entertaining melodrama.