The Sleeping City

This novel crime film set entirely in Bellvue Hospital in NYC is more interesting for its picture of intern life at mid-century than for its farfetched premise of a police detective planted inside the institution as a physician to try to catch a murderer. Realistic location shooting enjoyed a vogue in the late 40's and early 50's, and undoubtedly Bellvue was well compensated for extending its hospitality to Hollywood. It's also a reminder of how much cigarette smoking was an accepted "relaxant" in those days, even for the medical profession. Among numerous tobacco moments, Nurse Coleen Gray urges undercover man Richrd Conte to step outside for "a cigarette and a breath of fresh air," as though one went hand in hand with the other. Although that kind of thing seems ridiculous now, in an age of idiotic comic book and video game movies, it's a pleasure to watch a film performed on an intimately human scale.

"Anything you can tell me?" "Sure...he's dead"

There is so much to like about this film that it makes me wonder how "The Sleeping City" isn't more famous. It's simply one of the best film noir pictures of the era...and that's saying a lot because I love noir and have seen many, many of these pictures.

The film begins with a vicious scene, as a young hospital intern is shot in the face at point blank range. The cops, however, have no leads and the killing seems senseless...perhaps the work of a psycho. With no other real options, the boss decides to call in three special agents. These men will obtain jobs at the hospital and see if there is anything that would lead them to understand why the man was murdered...as well as who did it.

The main undercover agent is Fred (Richard Conte). Because of his own background in medicine, he'll pose as one of the interns. It's a tough job, as he'll be around patients and it's pretty hard to fake it indefinitely! He's told to rely on his nurses, as they'll help him figure out what to do. And, if he has a case that's over his head, he'll just have to break cover and get a real doctor to help. However, when another intern soon ends up dead it sure looks as if some conspiracy is going on...but the viewer sure is surprised how deep this all goes and what it's all really about...and it sure isn't random!

There is so much going for the film and most of it has to do with realism. Apart from Richard Conte, most of the rest of the folks in the film don't look like actors and the cops especially seem like real cops. Additionally, Conte was no pretty boy and was excellent in the film...tough but no smart-alleck or unrealistic guy! But what also really helps is the story itself...it's hard to predict, very intelligently written and amazingly good. See this film...you won't regret it and it doesn't insult the intelligence of the viewer.

The Sleeping City has a unique, unfortunately not fully realized, setting for a noir. Shot on location at Bellevue Hospital, the film stars Richard Conte as policeman Fred Rowan as he goes undercover to solve the murder of a hospital intern.

Conte carries the film while the supporting cast mostly serves as window dressing to keep the plot moving forward. The exception being Rowan's interactions with staff member Steve Anderson, played by Alex Nichols. Nichols' character reveals more intimate details than Rowan's supposed love interest (Coleen Gray) of the film, and it his personal struggles feel genuine.

Although I won't give any spoilers, the twists in the plot are surprises sure, yet still underwhelming. What keeps this film from being more than good was its underutilization of the hospital setting. Besides one scene where Rowan aids a patient, the setting serves nothing more than as a locale when it could have uplifted an otherwise average plot. Despite the missed opportunity, Conte alone makes the Sleeping City a B-movie noir worth watching.

... with an intern being shot in the face at point blank range outside of the hospital as he takes a smoke break after dealing with an emergency case. The cops investigate but can find nothing amiss and can find no enemies that the victim might have had. So they decide to plant detective Fred Rowan (Richard Conte) undercover as intern Fred GIlbert. Fred had two years of premed and spent three years during WWII as a medic, but he is NOT a doctor! He is given strict instructions by the superintendent of the hospital and by his superiors in the police department to try to fake it as best he can and rely on nurses, but if he is in a pinch to do something he is not qualified to do to a patient that he MUST blow his cover and get an actual doctor. This does cause a couple of close calls that Fred manages to think his way out of.

Fred rooms with the victim's old roommate who is not exactly the welcome wagon. He has invisible lines drawn down the middle of the room like he is WKRP's Les Nessman, and all he talks about is money - how much he needs it to go into private practice and how much he resents those who have it. Fred is trying to get the guy to open up when he also ends up dead - drowned in the river with a blow to the head. Maybe it was suicide - maybe it wasn't. So now there are two deaths for Fred to investigate, still no clues.

This was very cleverly done - a rare hospital noir so there's a lack of traditional noirish characters but plenty of suspense and a well written and intelligent script.

Since it is obvious this was shot at and around Bellevue hospital, there is a prologue featuring Conte that brags on Bellevue and thanks the hospital for making their facilities available during shooting while explaining that this story could take place anywhere but it did not take place at Bellevue. During the film Bellevue is bragged on some more as the interns are taken on a mini-tour of the facilities. Recommended.

A bleak, atmospheric movie, filmed entirely on location at New York's Bellevue Hospital. Fine performances by Conte, Gray, Alexander and a slew of New York stage actors. Note the brief but significant appearance, at the beginning of the movie, by Hugh Reilly, who went on to star in the Lassie TV series.