While the City Sleeps is a 1928 American silent crime drama film about a tough New York City police detective, played by Lon Chaney, out to get a murdering gangster. The film was directed by Jack Conway and co-stars Anita Page, Carroll Nye, Wheeler Oakman, and Mae Busch.

Plot

The film focuses on the 'Plain Clothes Men', a group of detectives dressed up as average citizens to catch criminals without being noticed. They are especially hated by the underworld due to their constant meeting, during which suspects are analyzed and interrogated extensively. Among the staff is Dan Coghlan (Lon Chaney), a police officer with flat feet and a tough disposition, who is unsatisfied with the lack of adventure. As he is about to quit his job, he is noticed about a croaked jeweler. When arriving there, he finds Skeeter Carlson (Wheeler Oakman), a crook who never gets busted for a crime due to a lack of evidence.