While the City Sleeps
Seen it?1956 | 100 min | Thriller, Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (91% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved The Naked City, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 40 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1956: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Newspaper men compete against each other to find a serial killer dubbed "The Lipstick Killer".
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
91% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.9 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 30K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Fritz Lang
- Dana AndrewsEdward Mobley
- Rhonda FlemingDorothy Kyne
- George SandersMark Loving
- Howard DuffLt. Burt Kaufman
- Thomas MitchellJohn Day Griffith
- Vincent PriceWalter Kyne
- Sally ForrestNancy Liggett
- John Drew BarrymoreRobert Manners
- James Craig"Honest" Harry Kritzer
- Ida LupinoMildred Donner