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IMDbPro

The Phenix City Story

  • 19551955
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
34,069
11,703
Meg Myles in The Phenix City Story (1955)
CrimeDramaFilm-Noir
A crime-busting lawyer and his initially reluctant attorney father take on the forces that run gambling and prostitution in their small Southern town.A crime-busting lawyer and his initially reluctant attorney father take on the forces that run gambling and prostitution in their small Southern town.A crime-busting lawyer and his initially reluctant attorney father take on the forces that run gambling and prostitution in their small Southern town.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
34,069
11,703
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Phil Karlson
    • Writers
      • Crane Wilbur(screenplay by)
      • Daniel Mainwaring(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • John McIntire
      • Richard Kiley
      • Kathryn Grant
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Phil Karlson
    • Writers
      • Crane Wilbur(screenplay by)
      • Daniel Mainwaring(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • John McIntire
      • Richard Kiley
      • Kathryn Grant
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 52User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Photos16

    Edward Andrews and John Larch in The Phenix City Story (1955)
    John McIntire in The Phenix City Story (1955)
    Meg Myles in The Phenix City Story (1955)
    The Phenix City Story (1955)
    Meg Myles in The Phenix City Story (1955)
    The Phenix City Story (1955)
    Kathryn Grant and Richard Kiley in The Phenix City Story (1955)
    Richard Kiley in The Phenix City Story (1955)
    John McIntire and Meg Myles in The Phenix City Story (1955)
    Meg Myles in The Phenix City Story (1955)
    The Phenix City Story (1955)
    Meg Myles in The Phenix City Story (1955)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John McIntire
    John McIntire
    • Albert L. 'Pat' Patterson
    Richard Kiley
    Richard Kiley
    • John Patterson
    Kathryn Grant
    Kathryn Grant
    • Ellie Rhodes
    Edward Andrews
    Edward Andrews
    • Rhett Tanner
    Lenka Peterson
    Lenka Peterson
    • Mary Jo Patterson
    Biff McGuire
    Biff McGuire
    • Fred Gage
    Truman Smith
    • Ed Gage
    Jean Carson
    Jean Carson
    • Cassie
    Kathy Marlowe
    • Mamie
    • (as Katharine Marlowe)
    John Larch
    John Larch
    • Clem Wilson
    Allen Nourse
    • Jeb Bassett
    James Edwards
    James Edwards
    • Zeke Ward
    Helen Martin
    Helen Martin
    • Helen Ward
    Otto Hulett
    Otto Hulett
    • Hugh Bentley
    George Mitchell
    George Mitchell
    • Hugh Britton
    Ma Beachie
    • Ma Beachie
    James E. Seymour
    • James E. Seymour
    Clete Roberts
    Clete Roberts
    • Clete Roberts
    • Director
      • Phil Karlson
    • Writers
      • Crane Wilbur(screenplay by)
      • Daniel Mainwaring(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the film, John Patterson (Richard Kiley) is depicted as supportive of African-American Zeke Ward (James Edwards) and his family. In real life, following his term as Alabama attorney general (1954-58), Patterson ran for governor in 1958 in an openly racist campaign and won. One of his opponents, George Wallace, had run as a racial moderate and told his friends after the election, "John Patterson out-niggered me, and I'm never gonna be out-niggered again." Four years later, in 1962, Wallace won the governorship of Alabama as an avowed segregationist.
    • Goofs
      When the body of Zeke Ward's little girl is thrown onto the Pattersons' lawn from the passing car, it is obviously a doll.
    • Quotes

      Albert L. Patterson: Rhett, I'm not stickin' my neck out. Why should I? Phenix City has been what it is for 80, 90 years. Who am I to try to reform it?

    • Alternate versions
      The initial release version ran 87 minutes, but soon after, a gratuitous 13-minute "newsreel" preface was added and an epilogue, read by Richard Kiley. The real John Patterson used this film as campaign too when he ran for Governor of Alabama (beating the young George Wallace). Patterson filmed the same epilogue as Kiley, and Patterson's version was used when the film played in Alabama.
    • Connections
      Featured in Century of Cinema: A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Phenix City Blues
      Music and Lyrics by Harold Spina

      Sung by Meg Myles

    User reviews52

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    Non-Fiction Film
    I have seen this film quite a few times during my lifetime. It has been on television in the past. In the 1980's it was aired on an independent UHF television station in Tampa Bay, Florida, and my father taped it, so we were able to watch it at will. Additionally, I found a copy of it on-line. If you go to a search engine you will be able to find it as I did. The copy I have is a copy of a copy, so the quality is not perfect. The person I got it from said that it came from a Canadian distributor, and was not available anymore. Additionally, my wife is in a documentary film program at the University of Florida and is in the process of making a documentary about Phenix City, (which should be completed by summer 2002). During the course of preparing for this, I have spent some time in trying to find out if the film is in public domain or not. I am currently waiting to hear back from Warner Brothers as they may well own the current copyright on the film. (In January of 2001 the University of Alabama also did a documentary on Phenix City and used some of the footage from the film. A copy of their production is available from them.) I should note here why I am so interested in this film. My family used to own the Columbus (GA) Ledger-Enquirer newspapers which is mentioned in "The Phenix City Story." The paper won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the story. My own grandfather was threatened with his life due to the paper's stories. I would like to see the film released on video and hope one day it will. We are coming up on the 50th anniversary of the main incidents that are shown in the film. Maybe that would be a good time to release the film again. Also, I am a motion picture still photographer, and have a listing on this website under my nickname, Gene Page.
    helpful•30
    19
    • Gene-70
    • Oct 19, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 19, 1955 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Eine Stadt geht durch die Hölle
    • Filming locations
      • Phenix City, Alabama, USA
    • Production company
      • Bischoff-Diamond Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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