Call Northside 777 (1948)

Chicago reporter P.J. McNeal re-opens a ten year old murder case.

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Jerome Cady (screen play), Jay Dratler (screen play)

Stars:

James Stewart, Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Stewart	...	P.J. McNeal
Richard Conte	...	Frank Wiecek
Lee J. Cobb	...	Brian Kelly
Helen Walker	...	Laura McNeal
Betty Garde	...	Wanda Skutnik
Kasia Orzazewski	...	Tillie Wiecek
Joanne De Bergh	...	Helen Wiecek (as Joanne de Bergh)
Howard Smith	...	K.L. Palmer
Moroni Olsen	...	Parole Board Chairman
John McIntire	...	Sam Faxon
Paul Harvey	...	Martin Burns

Storyline

In 1932, a cop is killed and Frank Wiecek sentenced to life. Eleven years later, a newspaper ad by Frank's mother leads Chicago reporter P.J. McNeal to look into the case. For some time, McNeal continues to believe Frank guilty. But when he starts to change his mind, he meets increased resistance from authorities unwilling to be proved wrong.

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Plot Keywords:

police call box | call box | baking | card game | chicago stockyard | 

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Taglines:

There's a beat in the pulse of this picture that becomes your very own!

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Polish

Release Date:

March 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Calling Northside 777

Filming Locations:

Schaller's Pump - 3714 South Halsted Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

ON SCREEN: "This film was photographed in the State of Illinois, using wherever possible, the actual locales associated with the story." This was the first Hollywood-produced feature film to be shot entirely on-location in Chicago. Many famous landmarks, such as the Chicago Merchandise Mart, Holy Trinity Polish Mission, and the Wrigley Building (of chewing gum fame) on North Michigan Avenue, can be seen throughout the film.

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Goofs

A title card following the opening credits reads: "This film was photographed in the State of Illinois using whenever possible, the actual locales associated with the story." The words "whenever possible" are a qualifying clause and should have been preceded by a comma, but no comma was provided.

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Quotes

P.J. McNeal: [to warden, after trying to talk Tomek into confessing to get parole] You must run a nice jail; this guy doesn't want to get out either.

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Connections

Referenced in Capricorn One (1977)

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Soundtracks

Please Don't Say
No""
(1944) (uncredited)
Music by Sammy Fain
Words by Ralph Freed
Played at the bar where McNeal orders a bourbon

User Reviews

reporter sets out to prove a convicted man is innocent

An eyewitness to a cop killing sends a man to the pen for 99 years. Eleven years later the convict's mother offers 5 thousand dollars to anyone proving her son is not guilty. A newspaperman looks into the case and becomes obsessed with gathering information which he is convinced will exonerate the convicted man. Tense, dramatic look at the seedy side of life.