New York City newspaper reporters compete for news-items on a serial killer who targets young women. Disappointingly awkward drama from revered director Fritz Lang, here taking an oddly conventional approach to the story and scenario and completely ignoring the suspenseful possibilities. Of course, it's a newspaper drama--not a serial killer thriller, but Lang's general workman-like feel doesn't give the narrative any urgency. Vincent Price is appropriately, amusingly snide and sniveling as the inherited-owner of the newspaper; Dana Andrews is typically solid as a prize-winning columnist, but other performances fail to ignite. ** from ****