IMDb > Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)

Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   1,719 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Otto Preminger
Writers:
Ben Hecht (screenplay)
Victor Trivas (adaptation) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Where the Sidewalk Ends on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 July 1950 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Film-Noir | Drama more
Plot:
Det. Sgt. Mark Dixon wants to be something his old man wasn't: a guy on the right side of the law. But Dixon's vicious nature will get the better of him. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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User Comments:
Even better than "Laura" more (49 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Dana Andrews ... Det. Mark Dixon

Gene Tierney ... Morgan Taylor
Gary Merrill ... Tommy Scalise
Bert Freed ... Det. Paul Klein
Tom Tully ... Jiggs Taylor

Karl Malden ... Lt. Thomas
Ruth Donnelly ... Martha
Craig Stevens ... Ken Paine
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
95 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Germany:12 | UK:12 | USA:Approved (MPAA rating: certificate #14458) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:12
Filming Locations:
Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA more
Company:
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Not only was the traditional Twentieth Century Fox fanfare music not utilized at the film's opening, Alfred Newman's ubiquitous "Street Scene Theme" is whistled over the unique opening credits, appropriately written in chalk on a sidewalk. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Andrews is staging the murder scene after Stevens' death, he is gloveless. A few seconds later he suddenly has gloves on both hands. more
Quotes:
Martha, Owner of Martha's Cafe: You know, I like places like this that specialize in good food instead of headwaiters.
Det. Sgt. Mark Dixon: It's the worst food in town, but don't worry. They usually serve a stomach pump with the dessert.
Martha, Owner of Martha's Cafe: Who invited you to come to my restaurant, Mr. Detective? Not me!
Det. Sgt. Mark Dixon: Martha's the head of a ring of burglars. My presence makes her nervous.
Martha, Owner of Martha's Cafe: Yeah, last night we got a whole basketful of diamonds. You wanna see?
Det. Sgt. Mark Dixon: Bring us two of your dangerous dinners, Martha.
Martha, Owner of Martha's Cafe: You know how much I've been offered to poison this man?
Det. Sgt. Mark Dixon: Ten dollars.
Martha, Owner of Martha's Cafe: That's right. I'm holding out for fifteen. Two dinners. Do you want wine?
Det. Sgt. Mark Dixon: Bring a small bottle.
[...]
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker (1991) more

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User Comments

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27 out of 35 people found the following comment useful.
Even better than "Laura", 20 January 2001
Author: Zen Bones from USA

Despite the lack of a haunting theme song and the austere and humourous presence of Clifton Webb, this film is a much more exciting experience than "Laura", the other collaboration between Preminger, Andrews and Tierney. This is one of the grimmest film noir films I've ever seen, and not just in its lurid shadows and rain-drenched streets. The film is dark to its very soul. Dana Andrews plays what is now a standard stereotype: the cop who is bitter and deadly with his temper. But Andrews plays it with more honesty and humanity than most any other angry movie cop you're likely to see. Despite the fact that his character is good at heart, he is also a criminal and a killer, and the film beautifully strings him along, forcing him to serve his spiritual penance. What of course is most fun is the way that his terror over being discovered slowly comes to a boil. I've seen tons of film noir movies but I can't recall ever seeing the protagonist ever becoming the anti-hero in such a startling way. Many of the best film noir pics have that dizzying spiral theme of a man trapped by his own weakness. "Night in the City", "Detour", "Scarlet Street", "In a Lonely Place", "Act of Violence" and "Johnny Eager", are among the best of them. "Were the Sidewalk Ends" holds its own among them. Not a bad recommendation!

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
A cameo role before he was famous? gemolby
What is Scalise sniffing throughout the movie? kida0477
Liked the ending... habler6
Best noir movie I've watched in a long time madafaka
Dana Andrews was not a B movie actor johnggriff
nothing downbeat83
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