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.
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.
ReplyDeleteI 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.
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.
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