Night and the City

This really is one of THE best British film noirs, even though its two main stars, the scriptwriter and indeed the director are American. Richard Widmark plays the lead as Harry Fabian, one of the biggest duckers and divers in pulp fiction who finds himself involved in the world of wrestling rackets.

Harry Fabian is also a bit of a dreamer - oh for a life of 'ease and plenty'. Quite why his long-suffering girlfriend Mary (a rather dull part for second-billed American Gene Tierney) puts up with him is not clear. She'd be infinity better off with neighbouring sculptor Adam Dunne (Hugh Marlowe). Harry's main job is, by means of a pretty simple con, to lure 'dopey' punters into The Silver Fox, the shady nightclub run by the odious Phil Nosseros (Francis L. Sullivan). Nosseross happens to have a very discontented wife called Helen (a spot-on Googie Withers) who is the club’s 'manager' and dreams of leaving the repulsive sod to run her own establishment. Never fear, ‘Harry Boy’ (who she's a little sweet on) is here. Harry to Helen: “I know every twist and turn in your scheming brain!” If only she could get a license. She should have known better! Things start to look up for Harry when he attends a crooked wrestling match (and since when weren't they all?) and meets old Gregorius (Stanislaus Zbyszko), a great wrestler from the past who is on the level. That is to say he represents the Greco-Roman School of Wrestling and he is appalled at what he is witnessing. Yeah you got it! Our little chancer sees an opening. Bam! He is now gonna be a 'legit' promoter.

Problem is, he needs £400 quid. Nosseross has little time or respect for Harry but the conniving Helen (Harry’s real soul partner) wheedles him into giving him half the fee and gives him the other half herself. But Helen wants that license, and Harry is the only bloke who can get it for her – even if it is a fake. Things get considerably more complicated since the old wrestler's son, Kristo (a perfectly cast Herbert Lom), just happens to control the entire crooked wrestling circuit in London. This is a man you simply don't mess with! If only Harry had had 'a little bit of luck' things could have been so different… instead he ends up on the road to nowhere with half of London on his heels.

American radio and screenwriter Jo Eisinger has done a pretty neat job of adapting Gerald Kersh's classic novel although Kersh himself was apparently not over-pleased with it. The pace is simply relentless. Widmark is the 'real' deal and this is arguably his best role. Mike Mazurki, another American (here playing Gregorius' crooked nemesis ‘The Strangler’), and Stanislaus Zbyszko were both real life wrestlers and serve to give the film even more authenticity. Zbyszko's performance is truly memorable and he near steals the film. Kersh knew what he was talking about, having been a wrestler himself. Another big plus is Max Greene’s exquisite cinematography, and we see a London still ravaged from the bombings of WW2 (the film was made in 1950).

Viewers have the option of watching Night and the City in the English and/or the American version, though it should be pointed out that the latter certainly has the more dramatic score (courtesy of Franz Waxman).

This Blu-ray release offers the following SPECIAL FEATURES:

* Brand new 4K restoration of the US version
* 2K restoration of the previously unseen British version
* Original theatrical trailer
* US version audio commentary by film noir expert Paul Duncan
* British version audio commentary by film expert Adrian Martin
* Richard Widmark Interviewed by Adrian Wootton (2002, 72 mins): extensive interview filmed onstage at the National Film Theatre
* The Guardian Lecture: Jules Dassin Interviewed by Alexander Walker (1981, 52 mins, audio with stills): a far-reaching on-stage discussion
* Illustrated booklet with essays by Lee Server, Paul Duncan and James Hahn; and full film credits