Dieterle was an actor and director in the German silent cinema who brought a literary bent to his American films. He made a number of film noirs that were viewed as unworthy of the cultured director, but time has seen a reassessment of this dark corner of American cinema. In fact, the New York Times's put-down of Dark City as "low and lurid" is our starting point. Charlton Heston in his Hollywood screen debut portrays an alienated vet turned gambler pursued by the police, a maniacal killer, a lounge singer (Lizabeth Scott), and conscience, in the person of a widowed mother. It is more the milieu than the plot that places Dark City in the gutter with its fellow films noirs; Dieterle and cameraman Victor Milner have to strive to overcome the hero's growing sense of compassion. They are helped by the usual dark angels of noir, Mike Mazurki, Ed Begley, and Jack Webb, in typically grizzly supporting roles.