The Sleeping City (1950)

Directed by George Sherman; produced by Leonard Goldstein

The conventional investigation into the seemingly inexplicable murder of an intern at a big New York City hospital leads nowhere, so the inspector in charge (John Alexander) turns to his ‘confidential squad’ and puts Detective Fred Rowan (Richard Conte) under cover. His search for the killer isn’t easy, and before its conclusion, his own life is endangered.

The Sleeping City was a surprise to me; a double surprise, actually. Initially, I was disappointed. The first half-hour was filled with bad writing, pointless detail and unsatisfactory acting – indeed, over-acting.

The writer seemed dazzled by the fact that he was able to set his story in a real hospital - Bellevue - and took a great effort to include scenes showing the workings of the institution, the routines, the organisation. Usually, I am in favour of such information, but only if it is given integrally to the story, presented as seamlessly as possible. At one point, Alexander explains to a doctor that he has three ‘inspector’s men’ available for miscellaneous and undercover work, the identities of whom are unknown even to other policemen. This presentation, whether true or not (I suspect it was, for that era), has a point in the context of the script. But an extended tour of the hospital, accompanied by unfunny attempts at humorous dialogue, does not.

Added to this was the unnecessary prologue, given by Conte (as himself) disclaiming that any of the movie’s events actually happened at Bellevue. That this otherwise accomplished actor appeared to be reading the lines from cue-cards (contrary to his clearly memorised lines in the rest of the film) further disillusioned me as to The Sleeping City’s possibilities. I thought that Conte, who had done better and would do better, was slumming.

Then, I was surprised again. As The Sleeping City progressed, the plot’s mystery deepened, while, at the same time, some of what I first thought were disadvantages were shown to be part of the story. Plot-holes were filled in, and over-acting became over-reacting, a much more legitimate aspect of a story, if true to a character.

The story builds well after that. There is a good moment when Rowan, unable to break his cover, is questioned by police officers unaware that he’s an ‘inspector’s man’. The climax is an exciting one.

By its finish, The Sleeping City is a bit more worthy of its lead. The other actors are not so well-known. Alexander, a stage as well as cinema performer, is best known for playing Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace. Colleen Gray, the female lead, was paired with Conte two years previously in Cry of the City, while Peggy Dow, who plays a nurse, retired after just nine movies, including Harvey. Nonetheless, the supporting players are adequate.

If one makes it through the clunky, clumsy first third, The Sleeping City will provide an entertaining story, the plot of which makes sense, eventually.