Say Fritz Lang to most film buffs and theyll generally think of either his influential silent science fiction classic Metropolis or his memorable early Peter Lorre serial killer drama M. Yet almost a quarter of century after both of these, the director came close to hitting the gold standard once again with this 1956 New York based thriller.
As in M theres a serial killer (John Barrymore) on the loose. This time, however, its the media who come under scrutiny, as the onset of the Lipstick Killings coincides with a bitter power struggle as newly appointed media magnate, Walter Kyne (an underused Vincent Price), sets his staff off against each other. By creating the new position of Executive Director, Kyne precipitates a major battle between staff members John Day Griffith (Andrews), photographer Harry Kritzer (Thomas Mitchell) and George Sanders Mark Loving (not to be confused with McLovin from Superbad).
A great cast, a great director. While The City Sleeps has all the makings of an overlooked classic. However, while it has certainly been overlooked, the film ultimately falls short of greatness. The plot isnt quite sharp enough and while Lang does give the film a few neat visual flourishes, it generally suffers by comparison with other slicker dramas of the period such as Alexander Mackendricks Sweet Smell of Success.
There are a few extras , an original trailer and a gallery of press info, stills and poster art. Like the film itself, theyre undeniably interesting but hardly essential.
Overall Verdict: Not Fritz Langs greatest by any means but a solid 1950s thriller.
Special Features:
Original Trailer
Gallery
Reviewer: Chris Hallam