The City
Synopsis
A prescient documentary about city planning, which presents idyllic suburbs and nuclear families as a solution to the chaos, poverty and social decay of industrialized inner cities.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Release History & Theatrical Window
May 26, 1939
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Willard Van Dyke, Ralph Steiner
- Screenplay & Story
- Pare Lorentz, Henwar Rodakiewicz, Lewis Mumford
- Original Score
- Aaron Copland
- Original Title
- The City
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 44m
- Production Studios
- American Documentary Films Inc., American Institute of Planners, Civic Films Inc.
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Willard Van Dyke, Ralph Steiner
Pare Lorentz, Henwar Rodakiewicz, Lewis Mumford
Aaron Copland
Ralph Steiner, Willard Van Dyke
Theodore Lawrence
Department Leadership Roster
Willard Van Dyke
Director
Ralph Steiner
Director
Pare Lorentz
Writer
Henwar Rodakiewicz
Writer
Ralph Steiner
Director of Photography
Willard Van Dyke
Director of Photography
Aaron Copland
Original Music Composer
Lewis Mumford
Writer
Theodore Lawrence
Editor
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The City.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The City.
National Film Registry
Films preserved in the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
My Film List
Harvard University's Suggested Film Viewing List Non-Fiction Films - (120): (2012)
Similar Titles to The City
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
9.0
9.5
6.4
7.7
6.6
7.0
7.9
8.0
7.2
7.8
5.2
More Like The City
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The City
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The City about?
A prescient documentary about city planning, which presents idyllic suburbs and nuclear families as a solution to the chaos, poverty and social decay of industrialized inner cities.
Who directed The City?
The City was directed by Willard Van Dyke, Ralph Steiner.
Who stars in The City?
The principal cast of The City includes Morris Carnovsky.
When was The City released and how long is it?
The City was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 44m.
Who composed the musical score for The City?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The City was composed by Aaron Copland.