The film was a co-production of Paramount Pictures and Spelling Films. Theatrically distributed by Paramount Pictures on May 16, 1997, Night Falls on Manhattan explores criminal law, political corruption, and the repercussions of violence.[1] Following its initial release, it failed to garner any awards from mainstream organizations for its lead acting or production merits.
The film grossed nearly $10 million in domestic ticket receipts, and was met with mixed to positive critical reviews.
Plot
NYPD detectives Liam Casey and Joey Allegretto are conducting surveillance against Jordan Washington, a notorious drug dealer. On a tip from an informant, they venture into an apartment block where Washington is reported to be hiding. After Casey shoots the lock, Washington 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 a squad car after killing two cops. In a surprising move, District Attorney Morganstern appoints Casey's son Sean, an ex-cop and recently appointed ADA, to prosecute Washington when he is caught. In the process, he passes over the more experienced ADA Elihu Harrison, who plans to oppose him in an upcoming election.
At Washington's trial, his attorney Sam Vigoda does not dispute his client's responsibility for killing the cops but argues that the police were intending to murder Washington. Washington claims that he had been bribing a group of corrupt cops, led by Kurt Kleinhoff, in return for protection while dealing drugs; Vigoda argues that Washington became a target when he refused to match an offer by a rival dealer, Carlos Alvarez, to give the cops more money. Although inexperienced, Sean mounts a strong argument questioning Washington's credibility and wins the case. Washington is sentenced to consecutive life terms without parole. A member of Vigoda's legal team, Peggy Lindstrom, begins an affair with Sean after the trial. In private, Vigoda discloses to Sean why he undertook Washington's defense: after his 15-year-old daughter died from a drug overdose, Vigoda has been determined to bring down the system of corrupt police enabling drug dealers.
After Morganstern suffers a heart attack and is unable to run for re-election, Sean is asked to run in his place; he wins the election over Harrison. Meanwhile, when Kleinhoff's decomposed body is discovered in the river, his address book reveals the names of several officers from precincts which responded to the Washington shooting. A number of officers confess their entanglement in the bribery and narcotics scandal. Sean confronts Allegretto, who admits that he took bribes while also colluding to murder Washington with fellow corrupted officers; he later commits suicide. Casey later discloses to Sean that he forged a judge's signature on Washington's arrest warrant–the original had expired on the day of the raid. Sean asks Morganstern, who is recovering at the hospital, for advice on how to deal with the scandal. Morganstern tells Sean that being DA will be a tough job, but he believes Sean "will be better at it than most."
Following a voluntary admission of guilt by Casey about the forgery in a private consultation with Judge Dominick Impelliteri, the judge decides to fill out a new warrant, backdated to the day of the raid, which purposely obviates the technicality. He also suggests to Sean that he destroy the forged warrant. Sean tells Vigoda that he plans to resign, but Vigoda urges him not to quit. Vigoda admits that his motives were to expose police corruption only and that Washington should remain in jail regardless of the fake warrant's origins. The film ends with Casey giving the introductory lecture for a new class of ADAs, urging them to approach their job with diligence and integrity.
In addition, television newspeople working in New York City at the time – Bill Boggs, Donna Hanover and Kaity Tong – had cameos as television newspeople.
Production
Filming
Exterior film shooting took place primarily on location in New York City.[2] Filming sets included the Hotel Pennsylvania, the Sherry Netherland Hotel, Bellevue Hospital Center, and the National Arts Club.[2] The opening scene involving the police shootout with Washington, took place in a desolate apartment building in Harlem.[1] Principal photography for the film began on October 11, 1995 and was completed on December 12.[3][4] The screenplay for the film written by director Lumet, was based on the novel Tainted Evidence authored by Robert Daley.[1]
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.[5] 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.[1] The scene of 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.[1]
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 Marsalis. The music for the film was orchestrated by Mark Isham, edited by Annette Kudrak and mixed by Stephen Krause, at Capital Studios.[2] The sound effects in the film were supervised by Ron Bochar. The editing of the sound elements was arranged by Glenfield Payne.[2]
Release
The film was given a wide release, in 758 theatres, on May 16, 2019.[6]
Home media
Following its cinematic release in theaters, the film was released in VHS video format on May 5, 1998.[7] The Region 1 Codewidescreen 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 Sidney 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.[8][9] The film was given a Blu-ray Disc release by Australian distributor Imprint Films on August 26, 2020.
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 72% of 32 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10.[10]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[11]
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".[12]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".[13]
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.[14]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."[15] 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."[16]
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."[17] 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."[18] Smith added, "Expected story developments fail to materialize, and others drop from the blue sky with no apparent rationale."[18]
Box office
In the United States and Canada, Night Falls on Manhattan grossed $9.9million at the box office.[6] It opened at its box office peak, No. 7, and spent its first three weeks in the Top10.[19]
