While the City Sleeps (1956 film)

While the City Sleeps is a 1956 American film noir directed by Fritz Lang and starring Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders, and Vincent Price. The film is based on Charles Einstein's 1953 novel, The Bloody Spur, though the storyline was significantly altered.

The plot centers on the competition among three ambitious executives at a major newspaper chain, owned by Walter Kyne (Vincent Price), to find and catch a serial killer known as the "Lipstick Killer" before the police do. Kyne announces that the executive who catches the killer will become the new executive director. This rivalry drives a series of increasingly desperate and unethical actions as each man tries to outmaneuver the others.

Dana Andrews plays Edward Mobley, a war correspondent and former acquaintance of Kyne, who is drawn into the case by a combination of his journalistic instincts and a romantic interest in Kyne's ambitious secretary, Mildred Donner (Rhonda Fleming). Mobley uses his connections and skills to track down the killer, eventually leading to a confrontation.

The film explores themes of ambition, media sensationalism, the pressure of corporate competition, and the dark side of human nature. It's notable for its gritty realism, Lang's characteristic visual style, and strong performances from the ensemble cast. While the City Sleeps is considered a classic example of film noir and is often cited as one of Lang's best American films.