Night Falls on Manhattan
Encyclopedia
Night Falls on Manhattan is a 1997 American crime drama
film directed by Sidney Lumet
, set and filmed on location in New York City. Its screenplay is by Lumet, based on a novel by author Robert Daley
entitled: Tainted Evidence. The film centers around a newly elected district attorney played by Andy García
, who is eager to stamp out corruption within the New York City Police Department
. Ian Holm
, James Gandolfini
, Lena Olin
and Richard Dreyfuss
star in principal supporting roles.
A joint collective effort to commit to the film's production was made by the studios of Paramount Pictures
and Spelling Films
. It was commercially distributed by Paramount Pictures theatrically, and by Paramount Home Entertainment
for home media. Night Falls on Manhattan explores criminal law, political corruption, and the repercussions of violence. Following its cinematic release, it failed to garner any awards from mainstream organizations for its lead acting or production merits.
Night Falls on Manhattan premiered in U.S. theaters on May 16, 1997 grossing $9,889,670 in domestic ticket receipts. The film saw its widest release in 758 theaters nationwide. Preceding its theatrical run, the film was generally met with mixed to positive critical reviews before its initial screening in cinemas. The Region 1 Code widescreen edition with special features was released on DVD in the United States on November 17, 1998.
) and Joey Allegretto (James Gandolfini
) are conducting a surveillance operation to apprehend Jordan Washington (Shiek Mahmud-Bey), a notorious drug dealer. On a tip from an informant, they venture into a building where Washington is presumed to be hiding. Washington preemptively fires a submachine gun through his front door, seriously wounding Casey. Police backup units arrive and swarm the building, but Washington executes a cunning escape in an NYPD squad car after murdering two police officers.
In a surprising move, district attorney Morganstern (Ron Leibman
) appoints Sean Casey (Andy García
), a newly graduated assistant district attorney and the son of Liam the wounded detective, to prosecute Washington. Passing over the more experienced executive assistant Elihu Harrison (Colm Feore
), Morganstern deliberately picks Casey due to Harrison's opposition of his political rank and candidacy in the upcoming election for New York County District Attorney. Defense attorney Sam Vigoda (Richard Dreyfuss
) agrees to defend Washington, while another constituent of his legal team Peggy Lindstrom (Lena Olin
), begins an affair with Casey.
During the trial, Vigoda does not dispute his client's guilt, but postulates that the police were specifically looking to murder Washington. The defendant corroborates this theory by revealing that he had been bribing certain officers, including one called Kurt Kleinhoff, in return for protection while dealing drugs. Vigoda theorizes that when a rival dealer named Carlos Alvarez offered the officers more money, Washington refused to match it, thus becoming a target. Although inexperienced, Casey mounts a strong argument questioning Washington's credibility. Casey wins the case, as Washington is sentenced to consecutive life terms without parole.
Morganstern is incapacitated by a heart attack. The mayor suggests new hero Sean Casey be the party's candidate for DA. He wins the election, is in love with Lindstrom and wonders aloud if the many wonderful things suddenly happening in his life can last. They can't. The decomposed body of Kleinhoff is discovered floating near a maritime dock. An address book is found by the authorities containing the names of several officers from precincts who responded to the Washington shooting. After several interrogations, a number of officers confess about their entanglement in the bribery and narcotics scandal.
Allegretto admits he initially lied about his involvement; accepting bribes while also plotting to murder Washington. Berated as "scum" by Sean Casey for his conduct and unwilling to face jail, a depressed Allegretto commits suicide. Liam discloses to his son Sean that he and Allegretto were not legally authorized to arrest Washington due to an expired search warrant. Liam concedes that he forged a judge's signature with a new warrant.
Following an admission of guilt by Liam about the forgery in a private consultation with Judge Dominick Impelliteri (Dominic Chianese
), the judge decides to fill out a new warrant and purposely obviates the technicality. He also suggests to Sean that he destroy the invalid warrant. The film ends with Casey giving the introductory lecture for a new class of assistant district attorneys; urging them to approach their job with diligence.
Exterior film shooting took place primarily on location in New York City
. Filming sets included the Hotel Pennsylvania
, the Sherry Netherland Hotel
, Bellevue Hospital Center
, and the National Arts Club
. The opening scene involving the police shootout with Washington, took place in a desolate apartment building in Harlem
. Principal photography for the film began on October 11, 1995 and was completed on December 12. The screenplay for the film written by director Lumet, was based on the novel Tainted Evidence authored by Robert Daley
.
According to Lumet, a secondary inspiration for the plot was the true story surrounding the criminal Larry Davis
, who escaped arrest from the scene of a drug raid. In the ensuing chaos, Davis shot six NYPD officers and eluded capture for 17 days. The character of Vigoda played by Richard Dreyfuss, was patterned after attorney William Kunstler
who defended Davis. The scene in the film with Washington's escape using an NYPD patrol car was staged for dramatic effect. Davis managed to escape the crime scene, but without the use of an actual police car.
. The music for the film was orchestrated by Mark Isham
; while being edited by Annette Kudrak and mixed by Stephen Krause at Capital Studios. The sound effects in the film were supervised by Ron Bochar. The editing of the sound elements was arranged by Glenfield Payne.
reported that 65% of 26 sampled critics gave the film a positive review, with an average score of 6.7 out of 10. At Metacritic
, which assigns a weighted average
out of 100 to critics' reviews, the film received a score of 58 based on 19 reviews. In 1998, actor Andy García was nominated for an ALMA Award
in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film for his performance.
Janet Maslin
writing in The New York Times
, said director Lumet did "a good job of articulating the disillusioning realities of careerism and crime. And he has an ear, as ever, for the disparate voices of the city." She also casually noted that actor Garcia remained "a polite, neutral presence." through "too many moments, particularly during courtroom scenes that have been edited in awkwardly abrupt ways". Roger Ebert
in the Chicago Sun-Times
referred to the film as "knowledgeable about the city and the people who make accommodations with it. It shows us how boring that obligatory evil kingpin is in so many other crime movies". He explained, it comprises "characters who do wrong and are therefore bad, but it doesn't really have 'villains' in the usual movie sense of the word. It's too smart and grown up for such lazy categories". In the San Francisco Chronicle
, Peter Stack wrote that "The film's setup is intense, full of fearsome action, a pulse-pumper. But soon it becomes a thinking man's police drama about the political aftermath of the botched drug-lord case." Left unmoved, he declared that although "Lumet and his fine cast play it out in a moody, hard-boiled style, Night Falls on Manhattan falls flat. Owen Gleiberman
of Entertainment Weekly
, said the film unfolds "less in the gritty world of New York law enforcement than in the implausible tabloid imagination of Robert Daley, on whose pulp novel the film is based." He did though positively comment that "Night Falls on Manhattan makes you nostalgic for Lumet's truly first-rate corruption movies, like the great, underrated Q&A
(1990)." In a slightly negative tone, Barbara Shulgasser of the San Francisco Examiner, thought Lumet's "seriousness and simplicity with which he approaches his subject in Night Falls on Manhattan are refreshing even if the vivacity of the thing never really has a chance to develop." James Berardinelli
of ReelViews viewed the film as being "savvy about a number of things." He claimed that "Not only does it have a good feel for both sides of the police corruption issue, but it's aware of the political rivalries and behind-the-scenes dealmaking that keeps a city running." In his overall summation, he wrote "Sidney Lumet has done something that I wasn't sure was possible in this age of instant, formulaic gratification: make a riveting cop movie without a car chase and a courtroom thriller without cheap theatrics." Adding to the positive sentiment, Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times
, said the story was "a string of unlikely events and coincidences" which "set off Night Falls, and Lumet makes them believable the old-fashioned way: through interaction with a screen full of strongly drawn, fully dimensioned, psychologically valid characters."
Writing for Time Out, author SGr exclaimed, "Lumet has made 40–odd films, some classic, some lousy. This isn't by any means". He commended how actor "Dreyfuss shines as a radical defence attorney." Not entirely enthusiastic about certain elements of the plot was Andy Klein writing for the Dallas Observer
. He flatly wrote, "As satisfying as much of the film is, there are a few missteps, large and small, that may require indulgence on the part of viewers." Describing a lighthearted position on its positive attributes, Mike Clark of USA Today
felt "Lumet (who also wrote the script) seems to feed on lousy cop-precinct furniture, political showboating and confrontations between street-savvy adversaries played by synergic actors." On an entirely negative front, Russell Smith of The Austin Chronicle remarked that "Lumet and Daley simply appear to have forgotten everything they once knew about lean, reality-based storytelling — a fact that no amount of bluster, superstar charisma, and stylistic virtuosity can conceal." Smith added, "Expected story developments fail to materialize, and others drop from the blue sky with no apparent rationale. Equally annoying is the film's inability to decide whether it wants to be a conventional melodrama — a view the manically overacting Holm and Ferrer obviously subscribe to — or a dark, nihilistic satire in the vein of other Lumet films such as Network
."
Eric Brace of The Washington Post
, bluntly commented on the film by writing, "Sidney Lumet mining his familiar territory of corrupt cops and courtroom drama, but if you’re hoping he’s brought something fresh to the topic of justice in the Big Apple, you’ll be disappointed." On a hint of commendation though, he felt "There are plenty of well-filmed scenes of New York in all its glorious grime and decay, and Lumet gives evil a nice touch by having all the bad guys". But ultimately he believed "the predictable lesson — that justice isn’t cut and dry — clogs the film’s gears by the last reel, at least the first half of the movie has some lively story telling." Incidentally, another Washington Post staff writer couldn't fill in an entirely positive review either. Stephen Hunter commented on Lumet's creative direction saying, "You feel the artist's seriousness of purpose, his passion to know and see and get it right. But it all flounders in a tub with the conventions of potboilers — fictionalized history, sudden wacko plot twists, the radical compression of time, the heavy, oafish hand of coincidence, and characters so wispy they could still be notes on an outline". In a slightly more upbeat tone, Leonard Klady of Variety
saw Night Falls on Manhattan as being "a strong addition to an oeuvre that includes 'Serpico
,' 'Prince of the City
' and 'Q&A
.' In this story of scandal within the NYPD, the writer-director continues to explore those earlier film's themes of corruption and compromise." He believed "The level of both technical craft and performance is up to the usual high levels associated with the filmmaker." Rating the film with 2 1/2 Stars, critic Leonard Maltin
sadly wrote that the film "suffers from one major flaw: it's central character's naivete. He's constantly shocked by what we in the audience already know—or have guessed." But in positive followup, he pointed out that supporting actor Leibman was "dynamite as the bombastic D.A.."
The film premiered in cinemas on May 16, 1997 in wide release throughout the U.S.. During its opening weekend, the film opened in a distant 7th place grossing $2,933,255 in business showing at 758 locations. The film The Fifth Element
soundily beat its competition during that weekend opening in first place with $11,410,863. The film's revenue dropped by 28% in its second week of release, earning $2,108,268. For that particular weekend, the film fell to 9th place again screening in 758 theaters but not challenging a top five position. The film The Lost World: Jurassic Park
, unseated The Fifth Element to open in first place grossing $90,161,880 in box office revenue. The film went on to top out domestically at $9,889,670 in total ticket sales through a 12-week theatrical run. For 1997 as a whole, the film would cumulatively rank at a box office performance position of 119.
video format on May 5, 1998. The Region 1 Code
widescreen
edition of the film was released on DVD
in the United States on November 17, 1998. Special features for the DVD include; the original theatrical trailer, audio commentary with director Sydney Lumet, actors Andy García and Ron Leibman as well as with producers Josh Kramer and Thom Mount. The disc also includes interactive menus with scene selection. Currently, there is no scheduled release date set for a future Blu-ray Disc
version of the film.
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
film directed by Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his credit. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict...
, set and filmed on location in New York City. Its screenplay is by Lumet, based on a novel by author Robert Daley
Robert Daley
Robert Daley , is an American novelist. He is the author of 28 books, five of which have been adapted for film.Daley graduated from Fordham University in 1951 and served in the Air Force during the Korean War...
entitled: Tainted Evidence. The film centers around a newly elected district attorney played by Andy García
Andy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
, who is eager to stamp out corruption within the New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
. Ian Holm
Ian Holm
Sir Ian Holm, CBE is an English actor known for his stage work and for many film roles. He received the 1967 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for his performance as Lenny in The Homecoming and the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the title role of King Lear...
, James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini
James J. Gandolfini, Jr. is an Italian American actor. He is best known for his role as Tony Soprano in the HBO TV series The Sopranos, about a troubled crime boss struggling to balance his family life and career in the Mafia...
, Lena Olin
Lena Olin
Lena Maria Jonna Olin is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Olin was born the youngest of three children, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actress Britta Holmberg and the director Stig Olin...
and Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
star in principal supporting roles.
A joint collective effort to commit to the film's production was made by the studios of Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and Spelling Films
Spelling Television
Spelling Television Inc. was a television production company that produced popular shows such as Charmed, Beverly Hills, 90210, 7th Heaven, Dynasty and Melrose Place. The company was founded by television producer Aaron Spelling in 1969...
. It was commercially distributed by Paramount Pictures theatrically, and by Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment is the division of Paramount Pictures dealing with home video founded in late 1975.-History:...
for home media. Night Falls on Manhattan explores criminal law, political corruption, and the repercussions of violence. Following its cinematic release, it failed to garner any awards from mainstream organizations for its lead acting or production merits.
Night Falls on Manhattan premiered in U.S. theaters on May 16, 1997 grossing $9,889,670 in domestic ticket receipts. The film saw its widest release in 758 theaters nationwide. Preceding its theatrical run, the film was generally met with mixed to positive critical reviews before its initial screening in cinemas. The Region 1 Code widescreen edition with special features was released on DVD in the United States on November 17, 1998.
Plot
Detectives Liam Casey (Ian HolmIan Holm
Sir Ian Holm, CBE is an English actor known for his stage work and for many film roles. He received the 1967 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for his performance as Lenny in The Homecoming and the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the title role of King Lear...
) and Joey Allegretto (James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini
James J. Gandolfini, Jr. is an Italian American actor. He is best known for his role as Tony Soprano in the HBO TV series The Sopranos, about a troubled crime boss struggling to balance his family life and career in the Mafia...
) are conducting a surveillance operation to apprehend Jordan Washington (Shiek Mahmud-Bey), a notorious drug dealer. On a tip from an informant, they venture into a building where Washington is presumed to be hiding. Washington preemptively fires a submachine gun through his front door, seriously wounding Casey. Police backup units arrive and swarm the building, but Washington executes a cunning escape in an NYPD squad car after murdering two police officers.
In a surprising move, district attorney Morganstern (Ron Leibman
Ron Leibman
-Career:Leibman was a member of the Compass Players in the late 1950s. He has appeared in many films such as Phar Lap; Where's Poppa?; The Hot Rock; Slaughterhouse-Five; The Super Cops; Up the Academy; Norma Rae; Romantic Comedy; Zorro, The Gay Blade; Garden State; and Rhinestone...
) appoints Sean Casey (Andy García
Andy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
), a newly graduated assistant district attorney and the son of Liam the wounded detective, to prosecute Washington. Passing over the more experienced executive assistant Elihu Harrison (Colm Feore
Colm Feore
Colm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...
), Morganstern deliberately picks Casey due to Harrison's opposition of his political rank and candidacy in the upcoming election for New York County District Attorney. Defense attorney Sam Vigoda (Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
) agrees to defend Washington, while another constituent of his legal team Peggy Lindstrom (Lena Olin
Lena Olin
Lena Maria Jonna Olin is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Olin was born the youngest of three children, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actress Britta Holmberg and the director Stig Olin...
), begins an affair with Casey.
During the trial, Vigoda does not dispute his client's guilt, but postulates that the police were specifically looking to murder Washington. The defendant corroborates this theory by revealing that he had been bribing certain officers, including one called Kurt Kleinhoff, in return for protection while dealing drugs. Vigoda theorizes that when a rival dealer named Carlos Alvarez offered the officers more money, Washington refused to match it, thus becoming a target. Although inexperienced, Casey mounts a strong argument questioning Washington's credibility. Casey wins the case, as Washington is sentenced to consecutive life terms without parole.
Morganstern is incapacitated by a heart attack. The mayor suggests new hero Sean Casey be the party's candidate for DA. He wins the election, is in love with Lindstrom and wonders aloud if the many wonderful things suddenly happening in his life can last. They can't. The decomposed body of Kleinhoff is discovered floating near a maritime dock. An address book is found by the authorities containing the names of several officers from precincts who responded to the Washington shooting. After several interrogations, a number of officers confess about their entanglement in the bribery and narcotics scandal.
Allegretto admits he initially lied about his involvement; accepting bribes while also plotting to murder Washington. Berated as "scum" by Sean Casey for his conduct and unwilling to face jail, a depressed Allegretto commits suicide. Liam discloses to his son Sean that he and Allegretto were not legally authorized to arrest Washington due to an expired search warrant. Liam concedes that he forged a judge's signature with a new warrant.
Following an admission of guilt by Liam about the forgery in a private consultation with Judge Dominick Impelliteri (Dominic Chianese
Dominic Chianese
Dominic Chianese is an American film, television and theatre actor, perhaps best known for his role as Corrado "Junior" Soprano on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Early life:...
), the judge decides to fill out a new warrant and purposely obviates the technicality. He also suggests to Sean that he destroy the invalid warrant. The film ends with Casey giving the introductory lecture for a new class of assistant district attorneys; urging them to approach their job with diligence.
Cast
Filming
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Filming sets included the Hotel Pennsylvania
Hotel Pennsylvania
The Hotel Pennsylvania is a hotel located at 401 7th Avenue in Manhattan, across the street from Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden in New York City.- History :...
, the Sherry Netherland Hotel
Sherry Netherland Hotel
The Sherry Netherland Hotel is a 38-story hotel located at 781 Fifth Avenue on the corner of East 59th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It was designed and built by Schultze & Weaver with Buchman & Kahn. Construction began in 1926, and the upper floors suffered a spectacular fire in 1927 before...
, Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center, most often referred to as "Bellevue", was founded on March 31, 1736 and is the oldest public hospital in the United States. Located on First Avenue in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, Bellevue is famous from many literary, film and television...
, and the National Arts Club
National Arts Club
The National Arts Club is a private club in Gramercy Park, New York City, New York, USA. It was founded in 1898 to "stimulate, foster, and promote public interest in the arts and to educate the American people in the fine arts". Since 1906 the organization has occupied the Samuel J...
. The opening scene involving the police shootout with Washington, took place in a desolate apartment building in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
. Principal photography for the film began on October 11, 1995 and was completed on December 12. The screenplay for the film written by director Lumet, was based on the novel Tainted Evidence authored by Robert Daley
Robert Daley
Robert Daley , is an American novelist. He is the author of 28 books, five of which have been adapted for film.Daley graduated from Fordham University in 1951 and served in the Air Force during the Korean War...
.
According to Lumet, a secondary inspiration for the plot was the true story surrounding the criminal Larry Davis
Larry Davis (criminal)
Larry Davis , who changed his name to Adam Abdul-Hakeem in 1989, was a New Yorker who shot six New York City police officers on November 19, 1986 when they raided his sister's Bronx apartment. The police said that the raid was executed in order to question Davis about the killing of four suspected...
, who escaped arrest from the scene of a drug raid. In the ensuing chaos, Davis shot six NYPD officers and eluded capture for 17 days. The character of Vigoda played by Richard Dreyfuss, was patterned after attorney William Kunstler
William Kunstler
William Moses Kunstler was an American self-described "radical lawyer" and civil rights activist, known for his controversial clients...
who defended Davis. The scene in the film with Washington's escape using an NYPD patrol car was staged for dramatic effect. Davis managed to escape the crime scene, but without the use of an actual police car.
Music
The original motion picture soundtrack for Night Falls on Manhattan was not officially released to the public, but features songs composed by veteran musician Wynton MarsalisWynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
. The music for the film was orchestrated by Mark Isham
Mark Isham
Mark Isham is an American trumpeter, synthesist, and film composer. He works in a variety of genres, including jazz, electronic, and film.-Life and career:...
; while being edited by Annette Kudrak and mixed by Stephen Krause at Capital Studios. The sound effects in the film were supervised by Ron Bochar. The editing of the sound elements was arranged by Glenfield Payne.
Critical response
Among mainstream critics in the U.S., the film received generally mixed reviews. Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 65% of 26 sampled critics gave the film a positive review, with an average score of 6.7 out of 10. At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a weighted average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
out of 100 to critics' reviews, the film received a score of 58 based on 19 reviews. In 1998, actor Andy García was nominated for an ALMA Award
Alma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field...
in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film for his performance.
| "A closing speech by Casey to a group of novice lawyers tries valiantly to throw a conceptual net over the sprawling mess we've just seen, but there's no getting around it: Night Falls on Manhattan is a wild, corkscrewing swing and miss by Lumet. With two strikes on the board, even his most loyal fans now have to wonder if the sturdy old slugger is finally losing his eye." |
| —Russell Smith, writing in The Austin Chronicle |
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for The New York Times. She served as the Times film critic from 1977–1999.- Biography :...
writing in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, said director Lumet did "a good job of articulating the disillusioning realities of careerism and crime. And he has an ear, as ever, for the disparate voices of the city." She also casually noted that actor Garcia remained "a polite, neutral presence." through "too many moments, particularly during courtroom scenes that have been edited in awkwardly abrupt ways". Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
in the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
referred to the film as "knowledgeable about the city and the people who make accommodations with it. It shows us how boring that obligatory evil kingpin is in so many other crime movies". He explained, it comprises "characters who do wrong and are therefore bad, but it doesn't really have 'villains' in the usual movie sense of the word. It's too smart and grown up for such lazy categories". In the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, Peter Stack wrote that "The film's setup is intense, full of fearsome action, a pulse-pumper. But soon it becomes a thinking man's police drama about the political aftermath of the botched drug-lord case." Left unmoved, he declared that although "Lumet and his fine cast play it out in a moody, hard-boiled style, Night Falls on Manhattan falls flat. Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman is an American film critic for Entertainment Weekly, a position he has held since the magazine's launch in 1990. From 1981–89, he worked at the Boston Phoenix....
of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, said the film unfolds "less in the gritty world of New York law enforcement than in the implausible tabloid imagination of Robert Daley, on whose pulp novel the film is based." He did though positively comment that "Night Falls on Manhattan makes you nostalgic for Lumet's truly first-rate corruption movies, like the great, underrated Q&A
Q&A (film)
Q & A is a 1990 crime film co-written and directed by Sidney Lumet, based on a novel by New York judge Edwin Torres. It stars Nick Nolte, Timothy Hutton and Armand Assante.-Plot summary:...
(1990)." In a slightly negative tone, Barbara Shulgasser of the San Francisco Examiner, thought Lumet's "seriousness and simplicity with which he approaches his subject in Night Falls on Manhattan are refreshing even if the vivacity of the thing never really has a chance to develop." James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli is an American online film critic.-Personal life:Berardinelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and spent his early childhood in Morristown, New Jersey. At the age of nine years, he relocated to the township of Cherry Hill, New Jersey...
of ReelViews viewed the film as being "savvy about a number of things." He claimed that "Not only does it have a good feel for both sides of the police corruption issue, but it's aware of the political rivalries and behind-the-scenes dealmaking that keeps a city running." In his overall summation, he wrote "Sidney Lumet has done something that I wasn't sure was possible in this age of instant, formulaic gratification: make a riveting cop movie without a car chase and a courtroom thriller without cheap theatrics." Adding to the positive sentiment, Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, said the story was "a string of unlikely events and coincidences" which "set off Night Falls, and Lumet makes them believable the old-fashioned way: through interaction with a screen full of strongly drawn, fully dimensioned, psychologically valid characters."
Writing for Time Out, author SGr exclaimed, "Lumet has made 40–odd films, some classic, some lousy. This isn't by any means". He commended how actor "Dreyfuss shines as a radical defence attorney." Not entirely enthusiastic about certain elements of the plot was Andy Klein writing for the Dallas Observer
Dallas Observer
The Dallas Observer is a free alternative weekly newspaper distributed around the Dallas, Texas . At its inception, it was conceived as a weekly local arts and cinema review publication, with the credo "Advocate for Excellence in the Arts" on the cover. For a time during the early years, the paper...
. He flatly wrote, "As satisfying as much of the film is, there are a few missteps, large and small, that may require indulgence on the part of viewers." Describing a lighthearted position on its positive attributes, Mike Clark of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
felt "Lumet (who also wrote the script) seems to feed on lousy cop-precinct furniture, political showboating and confrontations between street-savvy adversaries played by synergic actors." On an entirely negative front, Russell Smith of The Austin Chronicle remarked that "Lumet and Daley simply appear to have forgotten everything they once knew about lean, reality-based storytelling — a fact that no amount of bluster, superstar charisma, and stylistic virtuosity can conceal." Smith added, "Expected story developments fail to materialize, and others drop from the blue sky with no apparent rationale. Equally annoying is the film's inability to decide whether it wants to be a conventional melodrama — a view the manically overacting Holm and Ferrer obviously subscribe to — or a dark, nihilistic satire in the vein of other Lumet films such as Network
Network (film)
Network is a 1976 American satirical film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about a fictional television network, Union Broadcasting System , and its struggle with poor ratings. The film was written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet...
."
| " 'Night Falls on Manhattan' is absorbing precisely because we cannot guess who is telling the truth, or what morality some of the characters possess." |
| —Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times |
Eric Brace of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, bluntly commented on the film by writing, "Sidney Lumet mining his familiar territory of corrupt cops and courtroom drama, but if you’re hoping he’s brought something fresh to the topic of justice in the Big Apple, you’ll be disappointed." On a hint of commendation though, he felt "There are plenty of well-filmed scenes of New York in all its glorious grime and decay, and Lumet gives evil a nice touch by having all the bad guys". But ultimately he believed "the predictable lesson — that justice isn’t cut and dry — clogs the film’s gears by the last reel, at least the first half of the movie has some lively story telling." Incidentally, another Washington Post staff writer couldn't fill in an entirely positive review either. Stephen Hunter commented on Lumet's creative direction saying, "You feel the artist's seriousness of purpose, his passion to know and see and get it right. But it all flounders in a tub with the conventions of potboilers — fictionalized history, sudden wacko plot twists, the radical compression of time, the heavy, oafish hand of coincidence, and characters so wispy they could still be notes on an outline". In a slightly more upbeat tone, Leonard Klady of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
saw Night Falls on Manhattan as being "a strong addition to an oeuvre that includes 'Serpico
Serpico
Serpico is a 1973 American crime film directed by Sidney Lumet. It is based on the true story of New York City policeman Frank Serpico, who went undercover to expose the corruption of his fellow officers, after being pushed to the brink at first by their distrust and later by the threats and...
,' 'Prince of the City
Prince of the City
Prince of the City is an American crime drama film about an NYPD officer who chooses to expose police corruption for idealistic reasons. The character of Daniel Ciello was based on real-life NYPD Narcotics Detective Robert Leuci and the script was based on Robert Daley's 1978 book of the same name...
' and 'Q&A
Q&A (film)
Q & A is a 1990 crime film co-written and directed by Sidney Lumet, based on a novel by New York judge Edwin Torres. It stars Nick Nolte, Timothy Hutton and Armand Assante.-Plot summary:...
.' In this story of scandal within the NYPD, the writer-director continues to explore those earlier film's themes of corruption and compromise." He believed "The level of both technical craft and performance is up to the usual high levels associated with the filmmaker." Rating the film with 2 1/2 Stars, critic Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
sadly wrote that the film "suffers from one major flaw: it's central character's naivete. He's constantly shocked by what we in the audience already know—or have guessed." But in positive followup, he pointed out that supporting actor Leibman was "dynamite as the bombastic D.A.."
Box office
The Fifth Element
The Fifth Element is a 1997 French science fiction film directed, co-written, and based on a story by Luc Besson, starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Milla Jovovich...
soundily beat its competition during that weekend opening in first place with $11,410,863. The film's revenue dropped by 28% in its second week of release, earning $2,108,268. For that particular weekend, the film fell to 9th place again screening in 758 theaters but not challenging a top five position. The film The Lost World: Jurassic Park
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a 1997 science fiction thriller film, directed by Steven Spielberg. The film was produced by Bonnie Curtis, Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen and Colin Wilson...
, unseated The Fifth Element to open in first place grossing $90,161,880 in box office revenue. The film went on to top out domestically at $9,889,670 in total ticket sales through a 12-week theatrical run. For 1997 as a whole, the film would cumulatively rank at a box office performance position of 119.
Home media
Following its cinematic release in theaters, the film was released in VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
video format on May 5, 1998. The Region 1 Code
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
widescreen
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
edition of the film was released on DVD
DVD-Video
DVD-Video is a consumer video format used to store digital video on DVD discs, and is currently the dominant consumer video format in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. Discs using the DVD-Video specification require a DVD drive and a MPEG-2 decoder...
in the United States on November 17, 1998. Special features for the DVD include; the original theatrical trailer, audio commentary with director Sydney Lumet, actors Andy García and Ron Leibman as well as with producers Josh Kramer and Thom Mount. The disc also includes interactive menus with scene selection. Currently, there is no scheduled release date set for a future Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
version of the film.