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Fritz Lang makes a serial killer hunt into a sleazy office politics bloodbath. Journalism was never this dirty.
TMDB
69
Rotten Tomatoes
91
Audience Score
66
Watch(US)

While the City Sleeps (1956)

sleazy newsroom noircynical as hellpsychology vs. profit

Overview

DramaThriller

Newspaper men compete against each other to find a serial killer dubbed "The Lipstick Killer".

Flag of USUS
Content warning
new york cityserial killerblack and whitefilm noirnewspaper man
exploitation of tragedycorporate competitionmoral bankruptcythe spectacle of violence

Standout Aspects

Direction

Lang's clinical eye makes sleaze feel disturbingly elegant.

Acting

Vincent Price plays against type as a sweaty weakling heir.

Writing

Newspaper room dialogue cuts sharper than any knife.

Best for:Solo: Late night when you want to feel cynical about humanity.·Streaming: Perfect for noir completionists who've seen the obvious ones.
Heads up:Disturbing: Serial killer targets women; misogyny of era is unflinching.
Fritz Lang

Director

Fritz Lang

ReleasedApr 19, 1956
Runtime1h 40m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensitymedium
Tonedark
Feelmedium
Bert E. Friedlob Productions

Top Cast

Dana Andrews

Dana Andrews

Edward Mobley

Rhonda Fleming

Rhonda Fleming

Dorothy Kyne

George Sanders

George Sanders

Mark Loving

Howard Duff

Howard Duff

Lt. Burt Kaufman

Thomas Mitchell

Thomas Mitchell

John Day Griffith

Vincent Price

Vincent Price

Walter Kyne

Sally Forrest

Sally Forrest

Nancy Liggett

John Drew Barrymore

John Drew Barrymore

Robert Manners

James Craig

James Craig

"Honest" Harry Kritzer

Ida Lupino

Ida Lupino

Mildred Donner

Robert Warwick

Robert Warwick

Amos Kyne

Mae Marsh

Mae Marsh

Mrs. Manners

Ralph Peters

Ralph Peters

Gerald Meade

Larry J. Blake

Larry J. Blake

Tim

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Insight

Lang hated this film, calling it just a job—but his contempt for media sensationalism bleeds through every frame.

Cultural

Based on real 1940s 'Lipstick Killer' William Heirens case; the film's exploitation of true crime mirrors its own critique.

YouTube

While the City Sleeps (1956) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

While the City Sleeps (1956) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Gallery(15 images)

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