Movie Type: Post-Noir (Modern Noir), Romantic Mystery
Themes: Death of a Partner, Doctors and Patients, Haunted By the Past
Main Cast: Roy Scheider, Meryl Streep, Jessica Tandy, Joe Grifasi, Sara Botsford
Release Year: 1982
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
In Still of the Night, a mystery thriller written and directed by Robert Benton, a psychiatrist falls in love with a woman who is suspected of the murder of one of his patients. Dr. Sam Rice (Roy Scheider) is treating a married museum curator. When the man is killed, Sam is visited by his dead patient's mistress and co-worker Brooke Reynolds (Meryl Streep) who wants him to return a watch -- that was left at her home -- to the patient's wife. Sam is immediately attracted to the cool, aloof Brooke, who has been discussed during numerous therapy sessions. When he hears about the mysterious death of Brook's father, and he himself is stalked by a woman who resembles Brook, he begins to both desire and fear her. Despite its rather leisurely pace, and some dream sequences which distract from the suspense, Still of the Night is an effective thriller despite a contrived surprise ending when the killer is revealed. Scheider is believable as the doctor in love, but Streep is rather strained in a role that demands a sexual allure and eroticism which she seems uncomfortable portraying. Benton's cinematography is moody and frightening, particularly when Scheider is followed through Central Park. Despite its flaws, Still of the Night should please fans of psychological thrillers. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
Review
Considering the cast and director, Still of the Night's lackluster showing at the box office was rather surprising. Audiences may have been put off by the lack of chemistry between stars Roy Scheider and Meryl Streep, although each of their individual performances is quite good. The convoluted plot and often static pace don't help matters, nor does the essential chilliness of the piece, but there's still much to recommend it. Alfred Hitchcock aficionados will have a field day catching the numerous references to the master, from Scheider's strong mother figure (played by The Birds's Jessica Tandy) to a Spellbound-like dream explanation to an auction that recalls North by Northwest. There's also beautiful, sometimes disturbing cinematography from Nestor Almendros, especially the Central Park sequence with its effective use of light (or lack thereof). The visual look throughout is striking; it has a glossiness and sleekness that's hard to resist. And director Robert Benton does know how to send chills up the spine when he wants to. Well executed but lacking a spark, Night is still the kind of movie that makes the viewer check twice that the door is locked before heading to bed. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Josef Sommer - George Bynum; Irving Metzman - Murray; Rikke Borge - Heather Wilson; John Bentley - Night Watchman; Hyon Cho - Mr. Chang; Danielle Cusson - Girl; Richmond Hoxie - Mr. Harris; Larry Joshua - Mugger; Tom Norton - Auctioneer; Sigrunn Omark - Receptionist; Will Rose - Auction Spotter; Arnold Glimcher - Auction Bidder; Randy Jurgensen - Car Thief
Still of the Night is a 1982 psychological thriller film, directed by Robert Benton and written by Benton and David Newman. It features Roy Scheider, Meryl Streep, and Jessica Tandy. Scheider plays a psychiatrist who falls in love with a woman (Streep) who may be the psychopathic killer of one of his clients. The film has been compared to the works of Alfred Hitchcock.
Plot
Roy Scheider who plays a psychiatrist had a visit from Meryl Streep who was seeing one of his patients. This patient was just killed in a homicide investigation and Meryl Streep gave Roy Scheider a watch to be returned to the wife of the killed patient.
