City That Never Sleeps (1953)

Johnny Kelly, who plans on resigning from the police force and leaving his wife the next day, has a very eventful last night on duty.

Director:

John H. Auer

Writer:

Steve Fisher

Stars:

Gig Young, Mala Powers, William Talman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gig Young	...	Johnny Kelly
Mala Powers	...	Sally 'Angel Face' Connors
William Talman	...	Hayes Stewart
Edward Arnold	...	Penrod Biddel
Chill Wills	...	Sgt. Joe, the 'Voice of Chicago'
Marie Windsor	...	Lydia Biddel
Paula Raymond	...	Kathy Kelly
Otto Hulett	...	Sgt. John 'Pop' Kelly Sr.
Wally Cassell	...	Gregg Warren
Ron Hagerthy	...	Stubby Kelly
James Andelin	...	Lt. Parker
Tom Poston	...	Detective (as Thomas Poston)
Bunny Kacher	...	Agnes DuBois
Philip L. Boddy	...	Maitre d'Hotel
Thomas Jones	...	Fancy Dan

Storyline

Chicago cop Johnny Kelly, dissatisfied with his job and marriage, would like to run away with his stripper girlfriend Angel Face, but keeps getting cold feet. During one crowded night, Angel Face decides she's had enough vacillation, and crooked lawyer Biddel has an illegal mission for Johnny that could put him in a financial position to act. But other, conflicting schemes are also in progress...

---

Plot Keywords:

stripper | squad car | nightclub | mime | omnipotent narrator | 

---

Taglines:

...from the Honky Tonks to the penthouses...the creeps, the hoods, the killers come out to war with the city!

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 June 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Chicago - 12 Uhr Mitternacht

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Hayes Stewart: I've stolen a lot of things in my life but never someone's wife.

---

Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Ending (2002)

User Reviews

A Spirit Spends a Night with the Chicago Police Force!

Unless you've the skill of an O. Henry, it's pretty ridiculous to talk about the spirit of a city, even as a generalization. But when that "spirit" takes human form and joins the local police force, really it's too much! Whatever induced scriptwriter Steve Fisher to introduce this bizarrely extraneous element into his otherwise tight little tale of the seamier side of Chicago, it was a mistake.

Fortunately, the assignment was handed to John H. Auer, who was most definitely the class director of the Republic stable. The action scenes here are handled with his usual vigorous finesse and there's plenty of excitement. The movie was actually lensed on location in Chicago, the city's streets made forcefully real by John Russell's deft photography.

Gig Young registers okay as the hero, while Chill Wills is saddled with the "spirit". However there are top performances by seasoned players like Edward Arnold, Marie Windsor, William Talman, Paula Raymond, and Wally Cassell as the mechanical man. Mala Powers is suitably cast as "Angel Face".