While the City Sleeps (1956)

A serial killer has been killing beautiful women in New York, and the new owner of a media company offers a high ranking job to the 1st administrator who can get the earliest scoops on the case.

Director:

Fritz Lang

Writers:

Casey Robinson (screenplay), Charles Einstein (novel)

Stars:

Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dana Andrews	...	Edward Mobley
Rhonda Fleming	...	Dorothy Kyne
George Sanders	...	Mark Loving
Howard Duff	...	Lt. Burt Kaufman
Thomas Mitchell	...	Jon Day Griffith
Vincent Price	...	Walter Kyne
Sally Forrest	...	Nancy Liggett
John Drew Barrymore	...	Robert Manners (as John Barrymore Jr.)
James Craig	...	'Honest' Harry Kritzer
Ida Lupino	...	Mildred Donner
Robert Warwick	...	Amos Kyne
Mae Marsh	...	Mrs. Manners
Ralph Peters	...	Gerald Meade
Sandra White	...	Judith Felton (as Sandy White)
Larry J. Blake	...	Tim - Police Desk Sergeant (as Larry Blake)

Storyline

Death of media magnat Amos Kyne is causing power struggle between his executives. In the meantime New York women become prey of a serial killer. Reporter Edward Mobley is in that circumstances faced with almost impossible missions: to catch the killer, to prevent the media empire from falling into the wrong hands and to save his romantic relationship from break-up.

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Plot Keywords:

homosexual subtext | mama's boy | comic book influence | psychotronic film | murder | 

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Taglines:

Sensational LIPSTICK Murderer

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 May 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

News Is Made at Night

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bert E. Friedlob Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of two ensemble films where Dana Andrews would be first billed followed by Rhonda Fleming. In each, Fleming has a relatively small role for her second billing; plays a discontented wife of one of the characters; has a scene where she lays-out in a bikini; and shares no scenes with Andrews. The other movie is 'The Crowded Sky' four years later. Both are Warner Bros productions, and are available on Warner Archives DVD.

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Goofs

When Ed and Nancy are walking upstairs to her apartment, the shadow of the boom microphone can be seen following them on the wall above.

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Quotes

Ed Mobely: But I didn't do anything!
Lt. Burt Kaufman: You think if you're drunk, it doesn't count, huh?

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Connections

Featured in Histoire(s) du cinéma: Toutes les histoires (1989)

User Reviews

Obviously most of the other viewers have no idea what the movie is even about.

While the city sleeps is an excellent movie that is a commentary on the media which happens to include a story about a serial killer. Not the other way around. It has wit, intelligence, and biting social commentary, which seems to be outside the reach of most modern audiences, who would prefer explosions and blood to intelligence.