The Sleeping City
| The Sleeping City | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | George Sherman |
| Produced by | Leonard Goldstein |
| Screenplay by | Jo Eisinger |
| Story by | Jo Eisinger |
| Starring |
Richard Conte Coleen Gray |
| Narrated by | Richard Conte |
| Music by | Frank Skinner |
| Cinematography | William Miller |
| Edited by | Frank Gross |
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Production
company |
Universal Pictures
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Sleeping City is a 1950 film noir crime film in semidocumentary style, that was set in and shot at New York's Bellevue Hospital. It was directed by George Sherman starring Richard Conte and Coleen Gray.
The film is notable for its dark and evocative photography, above-par performances by featured players and taut script by Jo Eisinger, best known for his script of Night and the City. It was one of the few motion pictures of the era to be shot entirely on location.
The Sleeping City is viewed by critics as one of the best examples of the use of betrayal—in this instance, several layers of betrayal—as a noir plot device. However, as is typical in this genre/style, the film is simply plotted and economical in its characterizations.
The movie begins with an unusual prologue, featuring Conte, to assure the audience that the story is "completely fictional" and did not take place at Bellevue or New York City. The prologue was inserted at the insistence of New York mayor William O'Dwyer, who had objected to the script as besmirching the reputation of the city-run hospital.
An intern is shot mysteriously on an East River pier adjoining Bellevue Hospital. The chief investigating detective views this as a difficult case, so with the cooperation of the Commissioner of Hospitals he assigns a detective who had been a medical corpsman, Fred Rowan of the Confidential Squad, to go undercover as intern "Fred Gilbert."
Rowan becomes involved with the attractive nurse Ann Sebastian (Coleen Gray), and also becomes friendly with the popular elevator operator, Pop Ware (Richard Taber).
Ware, who works part-time taking bets, seems initially to be a benign character. But it becomes apparent that Ware has been loaning money to the interns, including the slain intern and another intern, Rowan's roommate Steve Anderson (Alex Nicol), who is depressed and commits suicide.
Rowan deliberately loses money betting with Ware, and Ware says that Rowan can pay off his bet by stealing "white stuff"—narcotics. Rowan plays along, encouraged by Ann Sebastian. He stops providing drugs to Ware. Ware tries to kill Rowan, and is shot in a shootout on the roof of the hospital.
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Wikipedia