A little meandering, a little lost, and a lot grim, Uli Edel's cult classic tells a handful of stories against the backdrop of World War II and massive corruption in New York City. The centerpiece of the story is a hooker/conwoman (Jennifer Jason Leigh in an infamous role) who falls in love with one of her customers, an army guy who's about to ship out. Her personal struggle with detachment and her horrific past (and inevitable future) make the rest of the film -- which features rioting and a somewhat out of place vignette about one character's hidden homosexuality -- fade away.