The Narrow Margin (1952)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Earl Felton (screenplay)
Martin Goldsmith (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 May 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

'THAT BULLET'S MEANT FOR ME!" - Suspense every speeding second aboard a stream-lined limited...as syndicate killers seek to find and silence mystery woman headed for the Grand Jury!

Plot:

A woman planning to testify against the mob must be protected against their assassins on the train trip from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Plot Keywords:

Train | Partner | Witness Protection | Police Officer | Gunfight

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Charles McGraw	...	Det. Sgt. Walter Brown
Marie Windsor	...	Mrs. Frankie Neal
Jacqueline White	...	Ann Sinclair
Gordon Gebert	...	Tommy Sinclair
Queenie Leonard	...	Mrs. Troll
David Clarke	...	Joseph Kemp
Peter Virgo	...	Densel
Don Beddoe	...	Det. Sgt. Gus Forbes
Paul Maxey	...	Sam Jennings
Harry Harvey	...	Train Conductor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Brocco	...	Vincent Yost (uncredited)
Ivan Browning	...	Waiter (uncredited)
George Chandler	...	Accomplice Running Newsstand (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Tenant in Apartment House Hallway (uncredited)
Don Dillaway	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
Don Haggerty	...	Det. Wilson (uncredited)
Clarence Hargrave	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Bobby Johnson	...	Redcap (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Tenant (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Johnny Lee	...	Waiter (uncredited)
William A. Lee	...	Newsstand Owner (uncredited)
Walter Merrill	...	Officer Allen (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Edgar Murray	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Franklin Parker	...	Telegraph Attendant (uncredited)
George Sawaya	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
Jasper Weldon	...	Porter (uncredited)
Napoleon Whiting	...	Redcap (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Fleischer

Writing credits
Earl Felton		(screenplay)
Martin Goldsmith		(story) and
Jack Leonard		(story)

Produced by
Stanley Rubin	....	producer

Cinematography by
George E. Diskant		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Swink		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Albert S. D'Agostino
Jack Okey

Set Decoration by
Darrell Silvera
William Stevens

Costume Design by
Adele Balkan		(uncredited)

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

Sound Department
Clem Portman	....	sound
Francis M. Sarver	....	sound (as Francis Sarver)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures (presents) (as RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (as An RKO Radio Picture)
• RKO Radio Films (1952) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Film (1953) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Films (1953) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• RKO Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS) (included on double feature with "The Saint's Vacation")
• Turner Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (included in "Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume Two")
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (included in The Film Noir Classic Collection; Volume Two")
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Odeon Entertainment (2011) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Turner Entertainment  DVD package design
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  DVD package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #14631) | Australia:PG | Norway:16 | West Germany:16 (nf) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1952)

Filming Locations:

Santa Fe Railroad Depot - 1170 W. 3rd Street, San Bernardino, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The route the train takes is the route of the old Santa Fe Railroad. The Amtrak Southwest Chief takes that same route as of 2009.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When the character of nine year old Tommy Sinclair (Gordon Gebert) first appears, his traveling nurse clearly calls him "Tony". For the rest of the film he's called "Tommy", the character's official name.

Quotes:

Walter Brown:What kind of a dame would marry a hood?
Det. Sgt. Gus Forbes:All kinds.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light (2006) (V)

Perfectly written, taut edgy Film Noir!

This is a fast paced and edgy film noir which could be used as a perfect example of the style. Crisp dialogue, hard characters and sarcastic humor blend perfectly to create a wonderful movie that is over before you know it. This film is really a lost treasure.