Complete credited cast: | |||
Humphrey Bogart | ... | Dist. Atty. Martin Ferguson | |
Zero Mostel | ... | Big Babe Lazick | |
Ted de Corsia | ... | Joseph Rico (as Ted De Corsia) | |
Everett Sloane | ... | Albert Mendoza | |
Roy Roberts | ... | Capt. Frank Nelson | |
Michael Tolan | ... | James (Duke) Malloy (as Lawrence Tolan) | |
King Donovan | ... | Sgt. Whitlow | |
Bob Steele | ... | Herman (as Robert Steele) | |
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Adelaide Klein | ... | Olga Kirshen |
Don Beddoe | ... | Thomas O'Hara | |
Tito Vuolo | ... | Tony Vetto | |
John Kellogg | ... | Vince | |
Jack Lambert | ... | Philadelphia Tom Zaca |
After years of pursuit, Assistant D.A. Martin Ferguson has a good case against Murder, Inc. boss Albert Mendoza. Mendoza is in jail and his lieutenant Joseph Rico is going to testify. But Rico falls to his death and Ferguson must work through the night going over everything to build the case anew. Written by Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
This obviously is not one of Bogart's most famous films, it should be cause it is an entertaining film noir that holds your interest from start to finish. They don't make 'em like this anymore. The plot involves Bogart as a D.A., whose star witness in bringing the head of a murder racket to justice dies before the trial.
In a lengthy flashback, Bogart retraces the case from the beginning, looking for some bit of testimony that might help him nail the killer before he gets set free.
Bogart is good as his usual tough-guy self, and is trying to prosecute the boss man of a Murder Incorporated type of crime organization but keeps running into road blocks with people getting killed. Bogie plays it well although Bogie could play Mary Poppins and make it look good.
At the end Bogie does what Bogie does well. This is a great movie. If you are a Bogart fan, this is a must have.