Detective Story (1951)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Philip Yordan (screenplay) and
Robert Wyler (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 May 1952 (Denmark)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

The love story of a man whose wife was more woman than angel!

Plot:

On one day in the 21st Precinct squad room, assorted characters form a backdrop for the troubles of hard-nosed Detective Jim McLeod.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Shoplifter | Policeman | Purse | Sanctimony

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Det. James McLeod
Eleanor Parker	...	Mary McLeod
William Bendix	...	Det. Lou Brody
Cathy O'Donnell	...	Susan Carmichael
George Macready	...	Karl Schneider
Horace McMahon	...	Lt. Monaghan
Gladys George	...	Miss Hatch
Joseph Wiseman	...	Charley Gennini
Lee Grant	...	Shoplifter
Gerald Mohr	...	Tami Giacoppetti
Frank Faylen	...	Det. Gallagher
Craig Hill	...	Arthur Kindred
Michael Strong	...	Lewis Abbott
Luis Van Rooten	...	Joe Feinson
Bert Freed	...	Det. Dakis
Warner Anderson	...	Endicott Sims
Grandon Rhodes	...	Det. O'Brien
William 'Bill' Phillips	...	Det. Pat Callahan (as William 'Bill' Phillips)
Russell Evans	...	Patrolman Barnes
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles D. Campbell	...	Newspaper Photographer (uncredited)
Edmund Cobb	...	Ed (uncredited)
Ann Codee	...	French Woman (uncredited)
Catherine Doucet	...	Mrs. Farragut (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Harper Goff	...	Gallantz (uncredited)
Howard Joslin	...	Patrolman Gus Keogh (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney	...	Coleman (uncredited)
James Maloney	...	Albert R. Pritchett (uncredited)
Lee Miller	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery	...	Finney (uncredited)
Burt Mustin	...	Willie (uncredited)
Mark Roberts	...	Mulvey (uncredited)
Jack Shea	...	Desk Sergeant #2 (uncredited)
Kay Wiley	...	Hysterical Woman (uncredited)

Directed by
William Wyler

Writing credits
Philip Yordan		(screenplay) and
Robert Wyler		(screenplay)
Sidney Kingsley		(based on the play by)

Produced by
Lester Koenig	....	associate producer
Robert Wyler	....	associate producer
William Wyler	....	producer

Cinematography by
Lee Garmes		(director of photography)
John F. Seitz		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Robert Swink

Art Direction by
A. Earl Hedrick		(as Earl Hedrick)
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Emile Kuri

Costume Design by
Edith Head		(costumes)

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervision
Del Armstrong	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Lavaughn Speer	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
William Woods	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Don Robb	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leon Becker	....	sound supervisor
John Cope	....	sound recording
Hugo Grenzbach	....	sound recording

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
Loyal Griggs	....	transparencies (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Other crew
John Shilling	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (as A Paramount Picture)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Picture)
• Paramount (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1952) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1952) (France) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1965) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"William Wyler's Production of Sidney Kingsley's Detective Story" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:12 (video rating) (2005) | UK:X (original rating) | Norway:16 (1952) | USA:TV-PG | Australia:PG | West Germany:16 (f) | UK:12 (tv rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #15300)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Cinematographer John F. Seitz shot the last three weeks of production, uncredited.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In some of the close-up shots of McLeod and Schneider in the back of the paddy wagon, McLeod's shadow can be faintly seen on the rear-projection screen showing the street behind them. (Other shadows can also be seen.)

Quotes:

Lieutenant Monaghan:Can't you say "Yes, sir" without makin' it sound like an insult?
Detective James McLeod:Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Monaghan:You're gettin' too superior, McLeod, a one-man army against crime. What's eatin' you?
Detective James McLeod:I hate criminals. I don't believe in coddling them.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

Overacted to the sky

I was always interested in seeing this movie and thanks to a storm in NYC and my disinterest in going to work, I finally watched this movie.

I was very disappointed. I found the movie to be highly and needlessly dramatic by all involved. I thought all the characters were cardboard-based, especially Lee Grant, who overdoes her New Yawk accent so much it made a shiver go down my spine. Douglas & Parker have a decent scene or two but for the most part do not connect with each other.

Best scene by miles was one where Gladys George (she was the nuts widow in "The Maltese Falcon") goes to the precinct to pick a criminal from a line-up. She is on screen for maybe 90 seconds, but they were the realest thing in this sappy and stagey movie.

I have a lot of respect for William Wyler and the cast, normally, but this one misfired, for me at least.