Review of Night and the City (1950) by Christopher B — 12 May 2017

+ What a great looking film for all of the film ages, cinematographers, & directors - a blacklisted & exiled director by Trumplican-like McCarthy'istic red staters of the '50's. + Can color never be as noir & cool & good as B&W? It seems not. This is a film school film - and it'd be fun to see Spielberg use its style for something. + Watch the Bluray extras with the director, Jules Dassin. He's better than that for which he's rec'd credit based on this effort. And even the French TV interview with its 1-camera movement seems ahead-of-its-time. + Gene Tierney is great. She was cast almost as an afterthought per Zanuck, and it seems that way, Yet she's terrific. The night-for-night non-process shots throughout also were terrific, including the 6-camera chase sequence near the end for the drowning.

This film became more interesting & engaging as the old reels were unwound & changed, an ahead-of-its time production in many interesting & beautifully shot ways.