Night and the City (1992)

Film Synopsis
"Night and the City" is a 1992 American police procedural film directed by Irwin Winkler. It is a remake of the 1950s movie of the same title and was written by Richard Price. This adaptation is embeded in the fancy world of New York City's legal scene and showcases intricate character representations versus the background of boxing and the shady underbelly of city life. The movie features Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange, and Cliff Gorman in pivotal roles.

Plot
The film informs the interesting story of Harry Fabian, depicted by Robert De Niro. Harry is an enthusiastic but down-on-his-luck attorney living in New York City. Enthusiastic and uneasy, he longs to leave his mark in the boxing world. Regrettably, his fairly challenged methods do not bring him much success, and his dreams far outweigh his reality. His girlfriend, Helen Nasseros, played by Jessica Lange, is a waitress who patiently supports him, despite his absence of success and palpable desperation.

Harry's Scheme and Downfall
One day, Harry seizes a chance to execute his ambitions. He creates a scheme to exploit the strained relationship between a boxing promoter, "Boom Boom" Grossman (Alan King), and his child. Nevertheless, Harry's strategy requires a substantial quantity of money which he does not have. He tricks Helen into stealing from her workplace, using the funds to fund his strategy. He encourages his boxing client to leave "Boom Boom" and join him instead, offering him the title of an independent boxing champion.

Nevertheless, Harry's adventurous plan quickly comes crashing down. He is outmaneuvered by the smart boxing promoter "Boom Boom" Grossman who manages a circumstance where Harry discovers himself caught in a boxing ring with an actual professional boxer, who almost beats him to death.

Resolution
Unaware of Harry's schemes, Helen confesses to her boss about stealing the cash and uses to pay him back slowly out of her incomes. Sad from her awareness of Harry's deception, she breaks up with him. Harry, hurt physically and psychologically, ends up an even bigger failure than he was at the start of the movie, regretting the mess he produced due to his misguided aspiration and desperation to succeed.

Reception

"Night and the City" was seriously acclaimed for its well-crafted plot, compelling character representation, and rich cinematography that effectively highlighted the gritty and dark side of the city. Critics lauded De Niro's performance as the centerpiece of the film - his rendition of Harry as a deeply flawed however ambitious character managed to hold the film together. Lange's representation as the patient girlfriend whose loyalty is checked by Harry's actions likewise drew praise. Nevertheless, some critics felt that the movie didn't measure up to the original's noir track record due to its overemphasis on Harry's character advancement at the cost of the plot.

In conclusion, "Night and the City", though a remake, included a fresh viewpoint to the original movie, delivering a fascinating exploration of ambition, desperation, and their repercussions set versus the backdrop of New York City's legal scene.

Top Cast