No Way Out (1950)

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writers:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz (written by) and
Lesser Samuels (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

16 August 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

Is it a question ...or an answer

Plot:

A black doctor is assigned to treat two racist White, robbery suspects who are brothers, and when one dies, it causes tension that could start a race riot.

Plot Keywords:

Black Doctor | Hospital | Riot | Doctor | Race Riot

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Richard Widmark	...	Ray Biddle
Linda Darnell	...	Edie Johnson - Mrs. John Biddle
Stephen McNally	...	Dr. Dan Wharton
Sidney Poitier	...	Dr. Luther Brooks
Mildred Joanne Smith	...	Cora Brooks
Harry Bellaver	...	George Biddle
Stanley Ridges	...	Dr. Sam Moreland
Dots Johnson	...	Lefty Jones - Orderly
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Adler	...	Assistant Deputy (uncredited)
Ernest Anderson	...	School Teacher (uncredited)
Jessie Arnold	...	Woman (uncredited)
Eleanor Audley	...	Wife (uncredited)
Polly Bailey	...	Woman (uncredited)
Betsy Blair	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Eileen Boyer	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Harry Carter	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Ken Christy	...	Officer Ed Kowlaski (uncredited)
Charles J. Conrad	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Jack Daley	...	Man (uncredited)
Ossie Davis	...	John Brooks (uncredited)
Ruby Dee	...	Connie Brooks (uncredited)
Wade Dumas	...	Jonah (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Sam (uncredited)
Elzie Emanuel	...	Student (uncredited)
Francine Everett	...	(uncredited)
Charles Flynn	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Bert Freed	...	Rocky Miller - Beaver Canal Resident (uncredited)
Alyce Goering	...	Woman (uncredited)
Fred Graham	...	Wilson - Ambulance Driver (uncredited)
Joe Hartman	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Gil Herman	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Don Hicks	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Ralph Hodges	...	Terry (uncredited)
Ray Hyke	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Thomas Ingersoll	...	Priest (uncredited)
Johnnie Jallings	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Frank Jaquet	...	Mr. Reilly - Edie's Landlord (uncredited)
J. Louis Johnson	...	Elderly Black Man (uncredited)
Stan Johnson	...	Intern (uncredited)
Doris Kemper	...	Wife (uncredited)
Victor Kilian	...	Father (uncredited)
Don Kohler	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Jack Kruschen	...	(uncredited)
Marie Lampe	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Harry Lauter	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Kathy Marlowe	...	Woman (uncredited)
Charles McAvoy	...	Riley (uncredited)
Eda Reiss Merin	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Daniel Meyers	...	Man (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Ann Morrison	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Al Murphy	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Frederick O'Neal	...	(uncredited)
Kitty O'Neil	...	Landlady (uncredited)
Frank Overton	...	Intern (uncredited)
Dick Paxton	...	Johnny Biddle (uncredited)
Barbara Pepper	...	Woman (uncredited)
Maudie Prickett	...	Woman (uncredited)
William Pullen	...	Ambulance Doctor (uncredited)
Amanda Randolph	...	Gladys - Dr. Wharton's Housekeeper (uncredited)
Frank Richards	...	Mac (uncredited)
Jerry Sheldon	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Kathryn Sheldon	...	Mother (uncredited)
Maude Simmons	...	Luther's Mother (uncredited)
Emmett Smith	...	Joe (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Day Deputy in Hospital Prison Ward (uncredited)
Art Thompson	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Gertrude Tighe	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Jim Toney	...	Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
Phil Tully	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
George Tyne	...	Whitey (uncredited)
Ann Tyrrell	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Ruth Warren	...	Sam's Wife (uncredited)
William Washington	...	Student (uncredited)
Duke Watson	...	Gas Station Attendent (uncredited)
Jasper Weldon	...	Henry (uncredited)
Ruben Wendorf	...	Polish Husband (uncredited)
Leola Wendorff	...	Polish Wife (uncredited)
John Whitney	...	Assistant (uncredited)
Mack Williams	...	Husband (uncredited)
Ian Wolfe	...	Watkins (uncredited)
Will Wright	...	Dr. Cheney - Coroner (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writing credits
Joseph L. Mankiewicz		(written by) and
Lesser Samuels		(written by)
Philip Yordan		contract writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Milton R. Krasner		(director of photography) (as Milton Krasner)

Film Editing by
Barbara McLean

Casting by
William Gorder		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
George W. Davis
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little
Stuart A. Reiss		(as Stuart Reiss)

Costume Design by
Travilla

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Irene Brooks	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Gladys Witten	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Sid Bowen	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Eckhardt	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Saul Bass	....	poster designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bernard Freericks	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Lockwood	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Anthony Ugrin	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department
William Maybery	....	associate casting director (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director
Josephine Brown	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (as Edward Powell)
Alfred Newman	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	presenter
Valentine A. Becker	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Weslie Jones	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Benjamin Sacks	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1951) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1952) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Fox Video (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #14257) | West Germany:16 (f)

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

James Edwards was the first choice for the role of Dr. Luther.

Quotes:

Dr. Dan Wharton:We want you to know how sorry we are Mrs. Biddle, we realize this is no time...
Edie Johnson - Mrs. John Biddle:The name's Johnson. Edie Johnson
Dr. Dan Wharton:Since when?
Edie Johnson - Mrs. John Biddle:Since I divorced Johnnie Biddle a year and a half ago. So it's nice of you to drop around and tell me you're sorry. Only I'm not interested. And I'll tell you something else. If you came by here to say the whole Biddle family was dying and this cigarette bud was the only thing that could save them
[without emotion throws the cigarette bud out the window]
Edie Johnson - Mrs. John Biddle:.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.21" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Sophisticated Lady

Wow, what a knockout

This film really surprised me, as I wasn't expecting something so raw and tense from 1950. The leads are excellent - nobody chews the scenery, as would be expected. Darnell is particularly effective. Honestly, being the cynical person I am, I never would have expected such an excellent film.

How this made it past the Code, I'll never know. The language and drama are intense. 1950?????? Amazing. What a pleasure to see Ossie in an early role...he's already missed.

Frankly, I rarely recommend a film. What a great experience....check this flick out.