The FBI Story (1959)

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

Richard L. Breen (screenplay) &
John Twist (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

October 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | History | Thriller

Tagline:

The fury of America's fight for decency !

Plot:

A dedicated FBI agent recalls the agency's battles against the Klan, organized crime and Communist spies.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Gangster | Ku Klux Klan | FBI Agent | Parricide

Awards:

1 win

Cast

James Stewart	...	John Michael ('Chip') Hardesty
Vera Miles	...	Lucy Ann Hardesty
Murray Hamilton	...	Sam Crandall
Larry Pennell	...	George Crandall
Nick Adams	...	John Gilbert ('Jack') Graham
Diane Jergens	...	Jennie Hardesty
Jean Willes	...	Anna Sage
Joyce Taylor	...	Anne Hardesty
Victor Millan	...	Mario
Parley Baer	...	Harry Dakins
Fay Roope	...	Dwight McCutcheon
Ed Prentiss	...	U.S. Marshal
Robert Gist	...	Medicine Salesman
Buzz Martin	...	Mike Hardesty
Ken Mayer	...	Casket Salesman (as Kenneth Mayer)

Runtime:

149 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Norway:16 | USA:Approved (certificate #19140) | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

46th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Cameo: [J. Edgar Hoover]

Goofs:

Factual errors: The movie shows George "Machine Gun" Kelly as being among the last 1930's era hoodlum to be arrested. In reality, he was the first to be arrested or killed by the FBI. He was captured in September of 1933, long before the arrests/kills of John Dillinger (July 1934), "Pretty Boy" Floyd (October 1934), "Baby Face" Nelson (November 1934), "Ma" Barker (January 1935), and Alvin Karpis (January 1936).

Quotes:

Lucy Ann Hardesty: Chip, you can't just get married like ordering a ham sandwich!
John Michael Hardesty: You can if you're hungry!

Movie Connections:

Edited into La classe américaine (1993) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I'll String Along with You

James Stewart is this Movie

This is a film that on the surface would seem to be all about J.Edgar Hoover giving himself a a big pat on the back for fighting Klansmen,going after Indian killers, hunting the famous gangsters of the 1930's, fighting Nazi's in the US and South America during world war 2 and Commies in New York during the early 1950's. Of course in 1959 we did not know about Mr. Hoover's obsession for keeping secret files on honest Americans, bugging people like the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, but worst of all,his secret love affair with his deputy director,Clyde Tolson( If you want to know more about that subject, I suggest seeing the film Citizen Cohn). Hoover aside, This story of a life in the FBI as told by Jimmy Stewart makes for a decent, but dated film. Vera Miles as his devoted wife is also good. But Jimmy is the movie. As much as Hoover controlled production and always made sure the FBI was seen without fault, Jimmy Stewart gave the film a human side,quite an achievement considering Hoover was always looking over his shoulder. The background score is also pleasant. I have read recent online articles suggesting that this is a forgotten film. Jimmy Stewart was one of the greatest film stars of all time and none of his films should be forgotten. TCM was the last network to show it a long time ago and I hope they show it again.