While the City Sleeps

New York City reporters compete for news-items on a serial killer who targets young women. Disappointingly awkward drama from revered director Fritz Lang, here taking an oddly conventional approach to the story and scenario while completely ignoring the suspenseful possibilities therein. Of course, it's a newspaper drama--not a serial killer thriller; still Lang's general workman-like feel doesn't give the narrative any urgency. Vincent Price is appropriately, amusingly snide and sniveling as the inherited-owner of the newspaper; Dana Andrews is typically solid as a prize-winning columnist, but other performances fail to ignite. ** from ****

I don't think that While the City Sleeps is among Fritz Lang's best, like M or Metropolis. However, despite a rather tepid final chase sequence and Rhonda Fleming coming across as rather bland, it is an interesting film. It looks good, with the cinematography excellent even in the final chase, and the score has some hauntingly atmospheric themes. The dialogue is arch and sharp, with a cynical yet involving tone, and the story even in the more talky moments, and there are many of those, is compelling with some tension. Lang's direction is accomplished as are the cast. Dana Andrews is solid in the lead, while Ida Lupino oozes sex appeal and Vincent Price is wonderfully snide and unprincipled. George Sanders brings an oily if not exactly subtle nature to his role, Thomas Mitchell is again memorable and there is also a menacing performance from John Barrymore. Overall, a solid and interesting film, though not the best work that everybody here has done. 8/10 Bethany Cox

While the City Sleeps (1956) ** 1/2 (out of 4) A journalist (Dana Andrews) helps the police track down a homicidal maniac that is strangling women. This is a somewhat interesting noir that has an all-star cast but in the end things are just a tad bit too light to be totally successful. Lang handles the material quite well and there's some stylish moments throughout including the wonderful opening sequence where the killer stalks out a woman. The material is pretty dark but the film never really looks at the darkness and instead goes for lighter ways out of the story. One issue I had with the film are the various characters that come in and out of the story. There's a large cast here and most of them have very little or nothing to do. Andrews turns in a good performance as does the rest of the cast including Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders, Vincent Price, Ida Lupino, Mae Marsh and we've also got John Barrymore, Jr. in the cast.