Alternate Best Actor 1950: Richard Widmark in Night and The City

Richard Widmark did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Harry Fabian in Night and the City.

Night and the City is a brilliant film that follows a street hustler as he attempts to get into wrestling promotion in London. 

Speaking before on John Garfield's work in The Breaking Point as an actor who might've before his time, this perhaps could also be attributed to one Richard Widmark. Perhaps not as much for the work he almost had to settle into as the types for leading men of the time, but for his earliest performances. This as he gave what has to be considered a pioneering performance in terms of portrayals of onscreen psychopaths in Kiss of Death (which I too often forget was his feature film debut), which is far more alike modern villains than those of Golden age of Hollywood. We find that again here in the role of Harry Fabian, who's a character who would fit right into the 70's or modern independent cinema. This as Harry Fabian is neither a good guy or a bad guy in the traditional sense of the time. He's not the hero, nor is the guy who takes the wrong path for a moment, he's something entirely different. Now in this all I can preface is saying this is a brilliant performance by Richard Widmark, and just go from there. That's because it is, and his unique sort of portrayal here, particularly unique for the time, is oddly something you can see from the silent opening scene as we watch Harry run home to his and his girlfriend Mary's (Gene Tierney) home. This while being chased by a pursuer. There's even just something about the way Widmark runs here, something fascinating about it honestly. There's just a sort movement of as though it is a casual affair, even as he is dogged in his movement, this as though it is nothing atypical to Harry to be running from someone. This with a particular moment where he loses his corsage, with Harry taking time to pick it back up and Widmark so gently placing it back in though maintaining that is as important as the man chasing him meaning to do harm. 

We find as Harry outruns his pursuer to return to Mary where Widmark is all charm. The essential thing is even with what we saw a moment ago, Widmark's charm here is wholly genuine in the sheer exuberance he does in every interaction with her and his repeated use of calling her "the duchess" with such loving regard for her. Widmark finding wholly what Mary sees him in an instance. This then we segue towards what is an essential core to Harry as he shows Mary some scheming idea of pills that will increase a car's gas use, supposedly. Widmark is downright amazing in the sheer jubilation as he speaks the idea. This in his eyes of a man seeing a dream in his eyes as he explains the concepts, and you'd think the man has won the lottery. Widmark presenting it as absolutely the dream realized in the moment as this full forced emotion as he throws his whole self within the idea. His eyes glaring with just an amazement just as his voice is this unabashed joy. This though hit with reality when Mary asks about the man who had been chasing him and is still waiting outside. Widmark's shift is great though in the vulnerability he so naturally settles to as he meekly speaks that the man is a "co-investor" in the gas scheme aka someone he owes some money to, which Mary eventually pays for me. Widmark in this introduction revealing really a protagonist that was so rare for the time, in as we meet him he is obviously flawed, but also obviously fascinating. Flawed also not as a villain but flawed as a man. 

We then follow Harry in the day in the life, or perhaps more appropriately a night in the life. There is a spectacular sequence where we follow Harry about town where he appears to be everyone's friend. Widmark's work here is marvelous as he out pours a certain charisma as he takes a moment with seemingly almost everybody. Widmark is affable and energetic in the best of ways. This as he delivers every word as though for that second the person is the most important person in his world, and also you just see him walk with the manner of a man who is simply thriving upon the atmosphere. This walking with the utmost confidence and almost floating through the streets as someone who has become so accomplished with them. We found out though he is largely a hustler who works on commission for a club owner Phil Nosseross (Francis L. Sullivan) and his wife/a potential old flame of Harry's Helen (Googie Withers). We see Harry ply his trade on those who don't know him. This as I love Widmark's performance in these moments. This as he takes the moments in we see in his eyes Harry gauging his mark, then basically reinventing himself for the need. Whether this be just a jovial man about town to some businessmen he sends to Phil's club, or shifting himself to an adoring fan, passionate about wrestling to a seasoned wrestler Gregorius (Stanislaus Zbyszko). Widmark showing the man capitalizing on his "preys" interest this with a man beaming and interested in whatever is needed. Widmark expertly revealing Harry's game, by being so convincing in playing Harry's game. 

That second game, which also makes Harry run afoul of Gregorius son, wrestling promoter/criminal Kristo (Herbert Lom), is what we follow Harry on. This initially as he falters to find funds with most of the same crowd of the criminal underworld. Widmark is incredible with every one of these "sells" this as he settles into that gear of his to the sale, as though this wrestling idea just "can't lose". This believable to any one glancing unknowing of Harry's way, however everyone knowing Harry's sales at this point turn him down. Widmark is great in every turn down showing the man's immediate desperation that wears across his face at the tear down of that sale of confidence. Widmark showing really the fearful young man whose had to fight for everything beneath it all whenever his confidence just isn't enough. Eventually Harry does find the money in Helen who obviously still has feelings for him to some regard. Widmark is great in this scene in showing the somewhat reserved Harry's reactions in the moment in trying to gauge what she is getting at. This in presenting the certain unease of a man's former loss having been left behind by Helen marrying Phil to climb the ladder. Widmark revealing in the hesitations again the man's very real uncertainty behind all that certainty of his. This eventual investment though essentially is the trigger for Harry to go ahead with anything he can to make it all work. This is as we get into the next jump of the story, where you can see some likely great influence on the recent Uncut Gems, as we see a man who seems to believe he can win any race, even if it doesn't matter how many short cuts he takes along the way. 

Widmark is downright mesmerizing as he brings us right along with him as Harry basically does anything he can to make the wrestling angle work for him. Widmark is exceptional in the way his energy is in this state of constant flow and he so naturally portrays the sort of spiraling action of Harry as he goes through the night trying to make it work. This in so quickly going from moment of being the best confident man in the business to Gregorius, to the slickest con artist as he prods a rival questionable wrestler known as the strangler, through lobbing a series of insults. Widmark is great by showing the way Harry pulls the tricks from his hat, as we get the quick moment of the calmest of supporters of Gregorius, to the most fierce doubter as he delivers random asides in decrying the strangler. This though in just as naturally falling apart to a straight desperation when he has to steal from Mary, or lie to Helen about the nature of forget document he gives her. Widmark in the latter is great in even his reaction his manner is almost as he can't know any better in the moment as he barely even second guesses the trick since it is the only way to continue. In the former though Widmark reveals really the addict for some kind of success beneath it all. This in the straight frustration and single focused manner as he just goes out of his way to find the money. His physical manner focused upon that goal to the point of playing the scene as though Mary is invisible. Widmark though in the end showing what the man gets out of it, in just a marvel of a moment where Harry tells of his success to Phil. The wonderment in Widmark as he describes it, the almost musical maneuvers of him, reveal the jubilation in the man that goes far beyond just enjoying financial success. Widmark in this moment shows that is the essential part of living for him. Unfortunately for him though as series of unfortunate events, some purposeful some accidental, lead to his wrestling game falling apart, and also leaving Kristo putting a 1000 pound bounty on Harry's head. Widmark's performance captures then the desperation of Harry as he tries to run through the night in looking for some escape from his fate. He is as mesmerizing here in so viscerally creating the sense of his state as he avoids one betrayal one bad man after another, Widmark showing Harry still plying his trade however now literally to save his life. This though in showing the natural degradation, physical and mental, of the man as he collapses in one of his last allies. This leading to a great moment of introspection as Widmark reveals again the fearful man beneath it all looking upon his failures, this only amplified when Mary appears, and Widmark hides his head as though Harry is nothing but a scared child. Widmark being so vulnerable in the moment speaking without a bit of bluster as he speaks to Mary without a shield. This until she mentions the 1000 pounds on his head, and Widmark is absolutely heartbreaking as he recalls back to the salesman one more time. This time so aggressively and painfully as the man merges his desperation with the sale now by actually earnestly suggesting Mary make herself rich by selling him to Kristo. I love this performance. This as Widmark gives an absolutely daring turn here. Not shying away from the character's flaws rather embracing them in a way that almost make them seem his virtues. Widmark thriving in realizing the complexity of the role, and crafting this immaculate portrait of the obviously flawed yet always transfixing protagonist that is pioneering.