IMDb >
Mystery Street (1950)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsMystery Street (1950) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (see all 4 | slideshow) |
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
28 July 1950 (USA) morePlot:
A small town policeman is assisted by a Harvard professor when the skeletal remains of a pregnant prostitute turn up on a Massachusetts beach. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Nominated for Oscar. moreUser Comments:
Nice To See Noirs Like This Out Now On DVD moreCast
(Complete credited cast)| Ricardo Montalban | ... | Peter Moralas | |
| Sally Forrest | ... | Grace Shanway | |
| Bruce Bennett | ... | Dr. McAdoo | |
| Elsa Lanchester | ... | Mrs. Smerrling | |
| Marshall Thompson | ... | Henry Shanway | |
| Jan Sterling | ... | Vivian Heldon | |
| Edmon Ryan | ... | James Joshua Harkley | |
| Betsy Blair | ... | Jackie Elcott | |
| Wally Maher | ... | Tim Sharkey | |
| Ralph Dumke | ... | A Tattooist | |
| Willard Waterman | ... | A Mortician | |
| Walter Burke | ... | An Ornithologist | |
| Don Shelton | ... | A District Attorney |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
93 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)Certification:
USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #14285) | Sweden:15Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Joseph Losey and later Harold Kress were announced to direct before John Sturges was ultimately assigned. moreGoofs:
Continuity: Length of the chain connecting phone book to wall phone in boarding house varies from scene to scene. moreQuotes:
Lieutenant Peter Morales: [to Dr. McAdoo] Professors work with their heads. Cops work with their feet. moreSoundtrack:
Easy to Love moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Mystery Street (1950)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| Botched Forensics | georgegauthier |
| One of the best chase climaxes in noir | danielj_old999 |
| C.S.I. back in the 50s | richsass |
| Available for rent | SeanColgan56 |
Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Tension | Basic Instinct | Mystic River | The Line-Up | Crossfire |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Crime section | IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |





This film gets some notoriety because it introduced audiences to forensic science long before "Quincy" and "CSI" became hit shows on television. But don't be misled: forensic science is only a part of this film; it is not like watching a CSI episode. It's mainly simply a crime story where we meet a bunch of characters responsible for a killing that took place.
I thought the leading characters, played by Ricardo Montalban and Bruce Bennett, were upstaged by a couple of ladies, namely Elsa Lanchester and Jan Sterling, although the latter is killed off quickly. Too bad; I always found Sterling a fascinating actress and someone well-suited for film noir. Don't get me wrong: Montalban is a solid actor, a lot more than the "Love Boat" guy people remember him for. The same goes for Bennett, but neither has a lot of spark in here. By the way, if you liked Montalban in this kind of movie, check out "Border Incident," a noir he starred in the previous year.
This particular story won't keep on edge because we know early on who is the murderer. Like a "Columbo" TV episode, the fun is seeing how the cops figure it out. "Lt. Morales" (Montalban) gets valuable help from "Dr. McAdoo" (Bennett) is piecing the case together.
It's "Mrs. Smerling" (Lanchester) who is the most fun to watch in this film. I think most viewers would agree with that.
The movie certainly gives a lot of favorable publicity to the Harvard Medical School. I remember watching this and thinking the school must have bankrolled the movie, it's gets so much positive air time.
Finally, it's nice to see this on DVD. If it hadn't been included in this "Film Nor Classics collection Vol. 4" set I probably never would have seen this film. The transfer is fine, highlighting the wonderful black and white cinematography we film noir fans so enjoy. Kudos to photographer John Alton and director John Sturges for that. Alton was behind the camera on a number of beautifully-shot film noirs of the late '40s