Don't give up on this film in the first half hour. It seems to be headed toward a very predictable end but it will fool you. It's a very 'real life' story without easy explanations and predictable resolutions. I won't go into any details of the film but will say that the two lead actors, Matt Angel and Morgan Taylor Campbell give terrific performances of two young people trying hard to find their place in this world. Definitely worth watching.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Night and the City
(1950)
Great film - a classic
22 February 2009
Many other posts here describe the film and its plot. I would suggest that after you watch this you watch the 1992 remake of this movie with Robert DeNiro and Jessica Lange. They combined the two major women in the film, which made a lot of sense plot-wise, and used boxing instead of wrestling. But Jack Warden's boxer in the remake cannot compare with Stanislaus Zybysko in the original - and Mike Mazurki's Strangler is more of a character than the guy in the remake who I don't think was even named. The black and white original towers over the remake in so many ways including cinematography, depth of characters (compare the two "phils" in the movies), direction, and musical score. This 1950 movie is a classic that will be enjoyed 100 years from now. The only part of the film that didn't ring true for me was leaving Strangler in the gym, drinking, while Gregorio and his son worked out. It would have been more believable if Strangler entered drunk after the contract was signed, was obnoxious, and then the fight began. But that's a minor point of complaint for this great script and great film.
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