Union City ***½ (1980, Deborah Harry, Dennis Lipscombe, Irena Maleeva, Everett McGill, Sam McMurray, Pat Benatar) – Classic Movie Review 12,080

Writer-director Mark Reichert’s 1980 American neo-noir crime mystery thriller film Union City is a first-class 40s-style retro-film noir, a neat little style object, with Deborah Harry of Blondie fame on fine form as a femme fatale, Lillian, the 50s New Jersey wife of unhinged Harlan (Dennis Lipscombe, also ideal) who murderously freaks out when his war veteran neighbour (Sam McMurray) starts drinking his mornings’ milk delivery.

The period look is splendidly conjured up in Edward Lachman’s atmospheric cinematography.

Also in the cast are Irena Maleeva, Everett McGill and Pat Benatar.

Reichert’s screenplay is based on the short story Union City: The Corpse Next Door by Cornell Woolrich. Woolrich’s story is set in the 1930s but Reichert relocated it to 1953. Reichert wrote the screenplay in eight days.

The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 1980 and opened in New York City on 26 September 1980 and in Los Angeles on 5 August 1981.

The cast are Deborah Harry as Lillian, Dennis Lipscomb as Harlan, Everett McGill as Larry Longacre, Irina Maleeva as The Contessa, Pat Benatar as Jeanette Florescu, Tony Azito as Alphonse Florescu, Sam McMurray as Young Vagrant, Cynthia Crisp as Wanda, Taylor Mead as Walter, Paul Andor as Ludendorff, Arthur McFarland as Mr. Lewis, and C. C. H. Pounder as Mrs. Lewis.

Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass’ reached number one in the United States midway through filming.

Deborah Harry could not sing on the soundtrack for contractual reasons, but she later recorded the Blondie song Union City Blue. Reichert also cast pre-chart success singer Pat Benatar. Harry’s partner, fellow Blondie member Chris Stein, performs the film’s original score.

It was shot on location on 27th Street off Summit Avenue in Union City, and on 48th Street and Hudson Avenue.

To get a PG rating, the film was recut by co-producers Kinesis, who decided to be the American distributor. The cut material is believed by Reichert to have been destroyed when the Movielab building, in which the film was stored, was sold to Arriflex.

It cost only $500,000.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,080

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