CLASSICS
Night and the City PG
UK | 1950 96 minutes
DIRECTED BY
Jules Dassin
STARRINGRichard Widmark | Gene Tierney | Googie Withers
Released in 1950, Night and the City stands as one of the defining works of film noir, a tense and visually striking story of ambition, betrayal, and downfall set in postwar London. Directed by Jules Dassin, the film not only encapsulates the bleak fatalism characteristic of noir but also reflects the director’s own difficult circumstances. Once celebrated in Hollywood for works like Brute Force (1947) and The Naked City (1948), Dassin was blacklisted during the rise of McCarthyism and accused of communist affiliations. Unable to continue working in the USA, he relocated to Europe. Night and the City, produced by 20th Century Fox in London, was his last film under an American studio contract before his exile.
The film follows Harry Fabian, played by Richard Widmark, a small-time hustler, who schemes to break into the world of professional wrestling promotion, believing he can outmanoeuvre both crime bosses and competitors. But his relentless drive only pushes him deeper into a web of deceit, greed, and violence. The film’s atmosphere owes much to Dassin’s meticulous direction and German Expressionist-inspired visuals. London’s streets, alleys and riverside docks, rendered in stark black and white, are transformed into a menacing labyrinth. The city itself becomes a character: unforgiving and indifferent.
Although initially met with mixed reviews, the film’s reputation has grown over the decades. Critics and scholars now view it as one of the quintessential noirs, praised for its uncompromising bleakness and Widmark’s ferocious performance. It also represents a turning point in Dassin’s career, and reflects his resilience in the face of political persecution. In exile, he went on to direct acclaimed European films, most notably the French heist classic Rififi (1955), screened last year at The Eclectic Cinema.
15 September 2025 MONDAY 19:30
GREEN ROOM
Tickets £7.00|£5.00 (under 26) CONCESSION NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE