The Turning Point (1952)

Jerry McKibbon is a tough, no nonsense reporter, mentoring special prosecutor John Conroy in routing out corrupt officials in the city, which may even include Conroy's own police detective father as a suspect.

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Warren Duff (screenplay), Horace McCoy (based on a story by)

Stars:

William Holden, Edmond O'Brien, Alexis Smith

Cast

Complete credited cast:
William Holden	...	Jerry McKibbon
Edmond O'Brien	...	John Conroy
Alexis Smith	...	Amanda Waycross
Tom Tully	...	Matt Conroy
Ed Begley	...	Neil Eichelberger
Danny Dayton	...	Roy Ackerman
Adele Longmire	...	Carmelina LaRue
Ray Teal	...	Clint, Police Captain
Ted de Corsia	...	Harrigan
Don Porter	...	Joe Silbray
Howard Freeman	...	Fogel
Neville Brand	...	Red

Storyline

Special prosecutor John Conroy hopes to combat organized crime in his city, and appoints his cop father Matt as chief investigator. John doesn't understand why Matt is reluctant, but cynical reporter Jerry McKibbon thinks he knows: he's seen Matt with mob lieutenant Harrigan. Jerry's friendship for John is tested by the question of what to do about Matt, and by his attraction to John's girl Amanda. Meanwhile, the threatened racketeers adopt increasingly violent means of defense.

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Plot Keywords:

reporter | investigation | district attorney | criminal | set up | 

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Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

This Is Dynamite!

Filming Locations:

Gladden Apartments - 100 S. Olive Street, Bunker Hill, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First feature film appearance of Carolyn Jones.

User Reviews

crime commissioner's girlfriend falls for muckraking reporter

A nicely assembled rather complex story about small time corruption in an anonymous midwestern city that effectively balances its mix of plot elements into a plausible and interesting whole. Edmond O'Brien plays an idealistic lawyer who heads an investigation that leads him into his own family. William Holden plays an investigative reporter and childhood pal of O'Brien's, a likely and believable role for him, a born cynic on screen if there ever was one, who not only gets to the center of the corruption plague but also attracts the attentions of Alexis Smith, O'Brien's girlfriend and secretary. Directed by William Dieterle, the film should be pulled apart by its competing angles, but isn't, holding together nicely while it fits in the increasingly deadly corruption headed by an always convincing Ed Begley, and showing a sympathetic and at times pathetic O'Brien whose life seems to unravel around him as the film reaches its various points, leading to a tight and exciting conclusion with Neville Brand playing a out of town killer in a crowded boxing arena.