Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS

WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS (1956). Director: Fritz Lang. 

A young man called "the lipstick killer" is stalking women in the city during a shake-up at a newspaper where several men hope to be named the new editor. Dana Andrews is a hot-shot reporter; Ida Lupino is Mildred, a columnist; Vincent Price is the neophyte publisher; Rhonda Fleming is his unloving wife, Dorothy; James Craig is Dorothy's handsome lover; and George Sanders is an executive with his eye on the prize. The interesting cast, a generally fast pace, and a couple of exciting scenes -- such as a chase in the subway -- may keep viewers from initially noticing that this would-be sprawling movie is kind of mediocre. There's a dumb attempt, typical of the period, to blame juvenile delinquency on comic books! 

Verdict: Busy but basically insubstantial. **1/2.

2 comments:

Neil A Russell said...

Seems like this was just on TCM not long ago, if it's the one I'm thinking it is, there's several scenes that take place at a lunch counter.
I don't remember much else, but I do remember wondering how it could be so slow in the story department with such a cast of my favorites and Lang at the helm.

William said...

It's been a while since I did this review, but I think those scenes took place in a bar with a long curved counter not a luncheonette, but I could be wrong.