Dead Reckoning (1947)

A soldier runs away rather than receive the Medal of Honor, so his buddy gets permission to investigate, and love and death soon follow.

Director:

John Cromwell

Writers:

Oliver H.P. Garrett (screenplay), Steve Fisher (screenplay),

Stars:

Humphrey Bogart, Lizabeth Scott, Morris Carnovsky

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Humphrey Bogart	...	Capt. 'Rip' Murdock
Lizabeth Scott	...	'Dusty' Chandler
Morris Carnovsky	...	Martinelli
Charles Cane	...	Lt. Kincaid
William Prince	...	Sgt. Johnny Drake
Marvin Miller	...	Krause
Wallace Ford	...	McGee
James Bell	...	Father Logan
George Chandler	...	Louis Ord

Storyline

Rip Murdock and Johnny Darke are en route to Washington when Johnny disappears and then turns up dead. Rip learns that Johnny had been accused of murder and sets out to find out what he can. He falls in love with Coral whose husband Johnny is supposed to have killed.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | gambling | medal of honor | dead body in room | 1940s | 

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Taglines:

There never was a Bogart like this... and here's the reason...

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 January 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

John Cromwell's Dead Reckoning

Filming Locations:

Penn Station, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Re-released in 1955, as a double-feature with I Am the Law.

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Goofs

When Murdock is listening Coral to sing, he leans his left elbow on the table and puts his hand to his face. In the next shot, before she stands up, his left hand is on the table.

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Quotes

Captain Warren 'Rip' Murdock: [after stealing a phone booth from a pretty, young girl] Oh sorry, gorgeous. I didn't see what you look like. I'd let you have it, only it's long distance.

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Connections

Referenced in Bogart: The Untold Story (1996)

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Soundtracks

"Either It's Love or It Isn't"
By Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher
Performed by Lizabeth Scott (dubbed by Trudy Stevens) (uncredited)

User Reviews

Femme fatale

John Cromwell was a director that aimed to please, as demonstrated by the films he left behind.

"Dead Reckoning" is a film that is satisfying while one is watching it, but later on, in retrospect, we question a lot of what we have seen as the plot doesn't make sense in many ways. All the elements of the Film Noir genre can be found in it. We have a war hero Rip, who is investigating the disappearance of his buddy, who he watches running away from a train in order not to testify with him in Washington. The action takes us to a Southern coastal town, where supposedly, the escapee has gone to. Little prepares Rip to find his friend burned to death in the morgue.

Thus begins a tale of deception that has lots of interesting twists. The film benefits from its two stars, who play a game that on the surface seems to be one thing, and with a surprising twist at the end, turns out to be something else.

Humphrey Bogart excelled in movies like this. He is tough, but he has time to have a great rapport with Dusty, the former singer at the local night club. Lisabeth Scott plays the siren with an air of mystery. It comes as a big surprise what happens at the end.

Morris Carnovsky, a great theater actor of the time, is Martinelli, the crooked owner of the night club. Also a young William Prince plays the man who ran away to find a tragic fate by doing so.