Night and the City
Released October 1992
Starring Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange (as Helen Nasseros), Cliff Gorman, Alan King, Jack Warden, Eli Wallach
Directed by Irwin Winkler
104 min.Box Office gross - $6.2 million
See complete credits at Internet Movie Database
This is a remake of the rarely seen 1951 film noir classic directed by Jules Dassin. Set in seedy London, it starred Richard Widmark and Gene Tierney. The remake forsakes the shadows and stylistic grandeur of the original and concentrates instead on the leading character, Harry Fabian, an incompetent lawyer intent on becoming a boxing promoter. De Niro’s staccato performance, however, does little to perk much interest in the film. It received bad reviews and was a big bore to many viewers. It quickly faded at the box office, only pulling in 6 million.
Jessica Lange plays Helen Nasseros, a waitress who dreams of owning her own restaurant. Lange really leaves the glamour behind here and does not appear at her best. As a critic from Vogue magazine said, “Lange is much too young to be playing these types of roles”.
Critical Sampling:
"No particular sexual spark is indicated between De Niro and Lange, nor does Lange's laid-back performance suggest any reasons for her behavior." - Variety
"Lange plays a deglamorized, worn-looking woman who has a criminal record and isn’t always very bright, but she plays it with full emotion, and the tender ruefulness of her Helen is overwhelming." - David Denby, New York