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IMDbPro

The Underworld Story

  • 19501950
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Dan Duryea, Howard Da Silva, and Gale Storm in The Underworld Story (1950)
CrimeDramaFilm-Noir
The story of the fight of a small-town newspaper to free an innocent girl of a murder charge, with the publisher of a metropolitan city newspaper heading, by forced circumstances, the opposi... Read allThe story of the fight of a small-town newspaper to free an innocent girl of a murder charge, with the publisher of a metropolitan city newspaper heading, by forced circumstances, the opposing forces.The story of the fight of a small-town newspaper to free an innocent girl of a murder charge, with the publisher of a metropolitan city newspaper heading, by forced circumstances, the opposing forces.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Cy Endfield
  • Writers
    • Henry Blankfort(screenplay)
    • Cy Endfield(adaptation)
    • Craig Rice(story)
  • Stars
    • Dan Duryea
    • Herbert Marshall
    • Gale Storm
  • Director
    • Cy Endfield
  • Writers
    • Henry Blankfort(screenplay)
    • Cy Endfield(adaptation)
    • Craig Rice(story)
  • Stars
    • Dan Duryea
    • Herbert Marshall
    • Gale Storm
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 22User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos37

    Douglas Evans in The Underworld Story (1950)
    Mervin Williams in The Underworld Story (1950)
    Harry Shannon in The Underworld Story (1950)
    The Underworld Story (1950)
    Mary Anderson in The Underworld Story (1950)
    Herbert Marshall and Gar Moore in The Underworld Story (1950)
    Dan Duryea and Mervin Williams in The Underworld Story (1950)
    The Underworld Story (1950)
    Gale Storm in The Underworld Story (1950)
    Dan Duryea in The Underworld Story (1950)
    Gale Storm in The Underworld Story (1950)
    Dan Duryea in The Underworld Story (1950)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dan Duryea
    Dan Duryea
    • Mike Reese
    Herbert Marshall
    Herbert Marshall
    • E.J. Stanton
    Gale Storm
    Gale Storm
    • Cathy Harris
    Howard Da Silva
    Howard Da Silva
    • Carl Durham
    • (as Howard da Silva)
    Michael O'Shea
    Michael O'Shea
    • Ralph Munsey
    Mary Anderson
    Mary Anderson
    • Molly Rankin
    Gar Moore
    Gar Moore
    • Clark Stanton
    Melville Cooper
    Melville Cooper
    • Major Redford
    Frieda Inescort
    Frieda Inescort
    • Mrs. Eldridge
    Art Baker
    Art Baker
    • Lt. Tilton
    Harry Shannon
    Harry Shannon
    • George Parker
    Alan Hale Jr.
    Alan Hale Jr.
    • Shaeffer
    Stephen Dunne
    Stephen Dunne
    • Chuck Lee
    Roland Winters
    Roland Winters
    • Stanley Becker
    Sue England
    Sue England
    • Helen
    Lewis L. Russell
    • Calvin
    Frances Chaney
    • Grace Calvin
    Jay Adler
    Jay Adler
    • Munsey's Assistant
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Cy Endfield
    • Writers
      • Henry Blankfort(screenplay)
      • Cy Endfield(adaptation)
      • Craig Rice(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The $5,000 for the half interest in the small town newspaper would equate to approximately $60,000 in 2022.
    • Goofs
      At the funeral, there is a headstone marked "Robert Elis 1720-1777". After the service, as the mourners are leaving, the same headstone appears in a completely different place.
    • Quotes

      District Attorney Ralph Munsey: Take it easy, Reese. Things are tough all over. Pretty soon a man won't be able to sell his own mother.

    • Connections
      References Bernadetten laulu (1943)

    User reviews22

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Will Dan Duryea take the high road eventually?
    Mike Reese is a reporter who is about as sleazy as they come. He must be, he's played by Dan Duryea in the Cy Endfield noir gem. Chuck Tatum of ACE IN THE HOLE has nothing on Mike - except that he probably makes a bigger salary.

    Mike's lost his job because given some confidential info about a mobster's secret testimony, Mike runs it in the paper that employs him which causes the bad guys to know just where to ambush the man testifying. Sure, the paper is equally at fault, but they'll get off by printing an apology, Mike's the scapegoat.

    With a stake provided by the local New England gangster who benefited most from the silenced witness, Mike buys into another suburban newspaper. Shortly thereafter, the murder of the daughter-in-law of a prominent publisher and the cover-up, as well as the innocent black woman accused of that murder, has Mike manipulating all in his path to make his way back to the top and a few bucks on the side.

    As the guilty person says of the accused: "She's a n-word, who is going to take her word over ours?" This one is that gritty, but it moves with B movie speed not trying to make a social statement. Or is it? What happened to director Endfield, having to relocate to England owing to HUAC, has some reviewers reading "witch hunt" into the narrative. But if one didn't know the personal history, it's a riveting tale anyway that reveals the levels and layers of corruption and also of the depths of sacrifice. Subtext is just as often the baggage one brings to a film as opposed to what the director installs.

    Gale Storm, Herbert Marshall, Harry Shannon, Michael O'Shea and Howard da Silva in what seems to be a return to the kind of character he played in THE BLUE DAHLIA all figure prominently. Mary Anderson plays the accused black woman and there's a bit of irony now in that casting (beyond her being Caucasian) - her brother James Anderson played the vicious Bob Ewell in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. She would also play Duryea's wife in CHICAGO CALLING a couple of years later. Both films are highly recommended.
    helpful•6
    2
    • clore_2
    • Mar 27, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 26, 1950 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Whipped
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles City Hall - 200 North Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • FilmCraft Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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