Watch Dark City

Dark City is a 1950 noir thriller that tells the story of Danny Haley (Charlton Heston), a small-time gambler living in a dark and dangerous urban underworld. Danny spends his days playing cards and running a small time racket with his partner, Arthur Winant (Ed Begley). One night, Danny and Arthur encounter a new player, a wealthy businessman named Luther (Don DeFore), who proves himself to be a formidable opponent.

As the night progresses, the stakes get higher and Danny winds up in debt to Luther for a considerable sum of money. In a desperate attempt to pay off his debt, Danny hatches a plot to rob a wealthy hotel guest of his money. But the heist goes wrong and Danny winds up killing a man. Now on the run from the law, Danny is forced to go into hiding while Arthur tries to track him down.

In the meantime, Danny meets a nightclub singer named Fran Garland (Lizabeth Scott). Despite her initial reservations, Fran is drawn to Danny and agrees to help him evade the police. Through their shared experiences, Danny and Fran begin to develop a mutual attraction that complicates their already dangerous situation.

Adding to the tension, Johnny (Mike Mazurki), Luther's henchman, is hot on Danny's trail. Johnny is a brutal and sadistic thug who will stop at nothing to catch his prey. Meanwhile, a police detective (Dean Jagger) tries to piece together the clues and track down Danny before Johnny can capture him.

As the film unfolds, the tension builds towards a thrilling climax as Danny must face off against Johnny, the police, and his own inner demons. Along the way, he discovers the true cost of his criminal lifestyle and must decide whether to continue down a path of destruction or to seek redemption.

One of the standout elements of Dark City is its atmospheric setting. Set in a dark and seedy urban environment, the film creates a palpable sense of danger and tension. The black and white cinematography is top-notch, with shadowy alleyways and smoky rooms adding to the overall mood.

The performances are also excellent, particularly from Charlton Heston as Danny. Heston expertly conveys the character's mix of toughness and vulnerability, making him a sympathetic figure despite his criminal tendencies. Lizabeth Scott is also noteworthy as Fran, bringing depth and nuance to a character who could easily have been relegated to a stock role.

Overall, Dark City is a well-crafted film that delivers on both its thrilling plot and its atmospheric setting. It's an excellent example of a classic noir thriller and is sure to delight fans of the genre.

Dark City is a 1950 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7.