It comes as almost a shock to see a modern suspense picture that’s as literate, well acted and beautifully made as Still Of The Night. Despite its many virtues, however, Robert Benton’s film [from a story by him and David Newman] has its share of serious flaws, mainly in the area of plotting.
Roy Scheider effectively plays an introspective New York shrink whose own life becomes endangered after one of his patients is found murdered. Prime suspect may well be Meryl Streep, the neurotic mistress of the dead man whose distressed, unpredictable behavior represents the source of most of the film’s mystery.
Perpetually moving around physically, mentally and emotionally, Streep slowly insinuates herself into Scheider’s relatively uneventful life.
Benton has fashioned as gorgeously crafted a suspense piece as one could ask for. High marks also go to supporting players, particularly Josef Sommer as the murdered man who appears in flashback, and Joe Grifasi as the persistent cop.
