Call Northside 777 (1948)

Chicago reporter P.J. McNeal re-opens a ten year old murder case.

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Jerome Cady (screen play), Jay Dratler (screen play),

Stars:

James Stewart, Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Stewart	...	P.J. McNeal
Richard Conte	...	Frank W. Wiecek
Lee J. Cobb	...	Brian Kelly
Helen Walker	...	Laura McNeal
Betty Garde	...	Wanda Skutnik
Kasia Orzazewski	...	Tillie Wiecek
Joanne De Bergh	...	Helen Wiecek (as Joanne de Bergh)
Howard Smith	...	K.L. Palmer
Moroni Olsen	...	Parole Board Chairman
John McIntire	...	Sam Faxon
Paul Harvey	...	Martin J. Burns

Storyline

In 1932, a cop is killed and Frank Wiecek sentenced to life. Eleven years later, a newspaper ad by Frank's mother leads Chicago reporter P.J. O'Neal to look into the case. For some time, O'Neal continues to believe Frank guilty. But when he starts to change his mind, he meets increased resistance from authorities unwilling to be proved wrong.

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Plot Keywords:

newspaper | prison | innocence | reward | reporter | 

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Taglines:

It couldn't happen . . . but it did!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | History | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Polish

Release Date:

1 February 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Calling Northside 777

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

ON SCREEN: "THIS IS A TRUE STORY" Actually, this film was based on a true story. Some elements, especially characters names, were fictionalized out of necessity, such as some central figures to the story were still living at the time of production, and had not given permission for their names to be used.

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Goofs

At some point in this film someone refers to Soldier Field as 'Soldiers Field' - a mistake that a Chicagoan would not make. However, there is a feature of Chicago neighborhood slang of adding an unnecessary possessive "s" to the name of local institutions: somebody going for groceries at the Jewel Food Store chain would say they were headed "by the Jewel's."

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Quotes

P.J. McNeal: [to warden, after trying to talk Tomek into confessing to get parole] You must run a nice jail: this guy doesn't want to get out either!

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Connections

Edited from In Old Chicago (1937)

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Soundtracks

"Don't Fence Me In"
(1944) (uncredited)
Music by Cole Porter
Played at the bar where McNeal orders a bourbon

User Reviews

reporter sets out to prove a convicted man is innocent

An eyewitness to a cop killing sends a man to the pen for 99 years. Eleven years later the convict's mother offers 5 thousand dollars to anyone proving her son is not guilty. A newspaperman looks into the case and becomes obsessed with gathering information which he is convinced will exonerate the convicted man. Tense, dramatic look at the seedy side of life.