The Public Eye (1992)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Howard Franklin

Writer (WGA):

Howard Franklin (written by)

Release Date:

16 October 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Murder. Scandal. Crime. No matter what he was shooting, "The Great Bernzini" never took sides he only took pictures... Except once.

Plot:

Story of a 1940s photographer who specializes in crime and in not getting involved... until this time.

Plot Keywords:

Photographer | Mob | News Photographer | 1940s | New York City

Cast

Joe Pesci	...	Leon Bernstein
Richard Riehle	...	Officer O'Brien
Bryan Travis Smith	...	Young Cop
Max Brooks	...	Teen at Thompson Street
Richard Schiff	...	Thompson Street Photographer
Laura Cerón	...	Puerto Rican Woman
Chuck Gillespie	...	Cop at Puerto Rican Tenement
Christian Stolte	...	Ambulance Attendant (as Christian Stolti)
Jack Denbo	...	Photo Editor
Ellen McElduff	...	Lonely Woman at Drugstore
Marge Kotlisky	...	Rineman's Receptionist
Timothy Hendrickson	...	Richard Rineman
Del Close	...	H.R. Rineman
Henry Bolzon	...	Cafe Society Photographer
Jared Harris	...	Danny the Doorman

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Germany:12 | USA:R (MPAA #31925) | France:U | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Jerry Goldsmith wrote and recorded a score for this film, which was ultimately not used.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Burnsey's 35mm camera is either an Exakta V or VX. Those models were introduced in 1950 and 1951, respectively, and would not have been available during the 1940's.

Quotes:

Leon (Bernzy) Bernstein: Everybody loves to have their picture took. Everybody.

Movie Connections:

References Don't Turn 'em Loose (1936)

Soundtrack:

Embraceable You

An Intriguing Noir Look At Photojournalism

I've never rated this movie that high but I've gone back to it three times since it came out about 15 years ago on tape, so maybe I am underrating this. There still is no DVD of it, at least in Region I, and that's frustrating. There's something intriguing about this story that drives me back to it.

Perhaps that is so because it's about a photographer, something I did, too, while being in the newspaper business for years and an art form I've always enjoyed. The story also takes place in the 1940s and I love the style and atmosphere of that era which is beautifully shown here.

Joe Pesci is Leon Bernzini or "The Great Bernzini," a newspaper photographer and Barbara Hershey is a mysterious woman who Pesci has the hots for. There is a lot of mystery in here with Hershey's character. Pesci takes gruesome photos, doesn't get involved with anyone but he's willing to make an exception with "Kay Levitz" (Hershey)..... but is she good or bad for him?

Sad to say, the filmmakers kind of make a hero out of basically a sleazy guy who has few, if any, morals. ("Bernzy" was "paparazzi" before they invented the word!). The movie also has an unsatisfying ending, particularly with Hershey's character.

However, I keep getting drawn back into multiple viewings of this and I'd sure like to see what it looks like with a good DVD transfer.