CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

US, 1953, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Gig Young, Mala Powers, William Talman, Edward Arnold, Chill Wills, Paula Raymond, Marie Windsor.
Directed by John H. Auer.

City That Never Sleeps is one of many police semi-documentary thrillers of the '40s and '50s. It is in the vein of The Naked City and subsequent television programmes. Of its kind, it is interesting and keeps the attention.

The film has a strong cast: Gig Young plays a policeman with the potential for heroism as well as for corruption. The action takes place overnight and is a challenge to Young. Mala Powers is the nightclub singer contrasting with Paula Raymond as Gig Young's wife. Marie Windsor has her usual role as a goodtime girl. Edward Arnold, who had played the heavy in many of the thrillers of the '30s and '40s, repeats his standard performance - which is always worth seeing. A younger Chill Wills has the odd role of the companion policeman to Young - but also seems to be some kind of spirit. The cast list calls him Joe Chicago. He declares that he is the spirit of Chicago, a kind of guardian angel for Young. While the film has a moralising tone, when it shows its crime and interaction of characters, it is interesting and entertaining.

1. The popularity of semi-documentary police stories? The life of men in the police force? Trying to do their job, duty? Pressures and temptations? The American city? The range of people, good and bad? The focus on Chicago?

2. Black and white photography, the atmosphere of Chicago at night, wealthy homes, apartments. nightclubs. the street? The focus on the actor miming in the window - a surreal touch? Musical score for atmosphere?

3. The title and its focus on Chicago, its night life? Gangster traditions in Chicago? The role of the police? The focus on the themes of the city? The police confronting these? The Chill Wills character as the spirit of the city that never sleeps?

4. The portrait of Johnny Kelly - ordinary officer, difficulties with pay, his wife. her mother and her nagging and pressure, the entanglement with Sally Connors? The confrontation of the night - leaving the police, crooked connections with Penrod Biddel, leaving his wife? The film portraying credibly the dilemma for Kelly? His being used by Biddel? The relationship with Hayes Stewart? The encounter with Joe Chicago. his being the companion? The dilemmas of the night, the encounters with Sally, with his wife, phone calls? Stewart's death? Lydia Biddel's connection? Biddel and his power? How well did the film make the dilemmas real? The help of Joe Chicago?

5. The women of the piece and the way that they commented on each other: Kathy Kelly and her devotion to her husband, the ordinary wife, not able to keep pace with him, genuinely in love? Sally and her work at the nightclub, the attraction towards Kelly? Lydia Biddel as the goodtime girl, glamorous with her husband, his attitude towards her. her connection with Stewart and betraying him?

6. Biddel and his power, criminal attorney, his assistant, the doublecross, the robbing of the safe and the involving of Kelly? Stewart killing Biddel? The relationship with Lydia? Johnny's father and his role in the police force - and his being killed by Stewart?

7. The importance of the character of Kelly's father. the honourable policeman, doing his duty, relationship with his son, his death? This combined with the advice of Joe Chicago helping Kelly to get his life in order?

8. The character in the window - real, mime? The witness to the killings?

9. The film reflecting the styles of police thriller of the '50s? Judged in retrospect? Portrait of characters? Issues? A piece of Americana?