You won't be disappointed!

best movie i've ever seen.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

No idea what the title of this film means. The film is based on a true story about the killing of a priest. The police needed to get a conviction for political motivations and a culprit was identified - an ex-army wanderer Arthur Kennedy (Waldron). However, did he actually commit the crime? Dana Andrews (Harvey) is the prosecutor tasked with convicting him.There are a lot of characters singing from the same page in going for a conviction and handing out the death penalty to Kennedy. The film actually starts quite slowly and we keep getting a narrator unnecessarily blabbing on and on. Things pick up with the appearance of Kennedy and it helps that the film is relating a true incident. It all ends in the courtroom scene which will keep you watching as Andrews maintains the tension with his unorthodox approach. The film satisfies in that it also provides an update at the very end as to how things pan out for a couple of characters.It's an ok film with a good cast - detective Karl Malden (White) isn't even credited. He's there along with police chief Lee J. Cobb (Robinson) and director Elia Kazan, all of whom would reunite for the classic "On the Waterfront" (1954) with Marlon Brando.

This was Kazan's third credited movie, his first film noir, and the first time he was able to film totally on location (nothing was filmed in the studio). This was a new experience for Kazan since he started out at a play director in the 30s and 40s and then made his first two movies, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) and The Sea of Grass (1947), totally in a movie studio. The DVD that I have is one of those 20th Century Fox noir movies with a commentary track. In the commentary, they call this movie a 'docunoir' meaning, I suppose, that it is a noir-ish docudrama based on a true story. Although the events depicted in this movie took place in Bridgeport, Connecticut, it was actually filmed in Stamford, Connecticut. So, when you see one of the panels of the opening credits say, 'The story you are about to witness is based on fact. In the interests of authenticity, all scenes, both interior and exterior, have been photographed in the original locale and as many actual characters as possible have been used,' you have to take it with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, other than the main characters, local people who were non- actors, did most of the other parts. For me, this makes the movie more authentic and seems to represent sort of an 'American neorealism' that may have been influenced by the films being made in Europe about the same time.As the movie opens, we see the murder of one of the town's most beloved citizens, its Episcopal minister, Father Lambert. He is murdered on Main Street in the early evening in front of several people. The people of the town are shocked and want to find the murderer and bring him to a swift justice. Police Chief Robinson (Lee J. Cobb) and his assistant, Detective Lieutenant White (Karl Malden), feel the ripple effect of the town's shock as does the State's Attorney, Henry Harvey (Dana Andrews), and his wife, Madge (Jane Wyatt). Of course, the local newspaper, 'The Morning Record,' and its reporter, Dave Woods (Same Levine), fans the flames of public outrage.Soon, local politics and politicians get involved and corruption is unveiled for us to see: The commissioner of Pubic Works (Ed Begley) desperately wants to see a murderer caught and convicted since his new recreation center depends on its quick resolution. And, as we find out later, his political and personal financial positions are duplicitous and, therefore, corrupt.As the local newspaper and political machine continue to fuel the public fires of the unsolved case, people start to form quasi-vigilante groups to find the murderer. Finally, the police find a possible suspect, John Waldron (Arthur Kennedy), in Ohio. The circumstantial evidence against him is the timing of his exit from town; the fact that he dresses like the murderer (dark coat and light hat), has a medium build, and owns a .38 caliber pistol. Waldron is placed in several police lineups and is constantly recognized by witnesses from the scene of the crime. After several non-stop hours of 'aggressive' questioning by police, he signs a confession.Justice is swift at the Coroner's Inquest. However, when the case is examined at the State Superior Court, State's Attorney, Henry Harvey has some doubts about Waldron's guilt and more actively pursues old leads with his staff. As attention is shifted to Harvey, members of the Reform Party machine both threaten him and promise him the governorship. The movie ends with a good courtroom drama. The movie's epilogue is equally interesting!I highly recommend this crime drama based on an actual case and taken from a Reader's Digest article. It may have been overlooked because Kazan's Gentleman's Agreement was the movie to see in 1947. However, I think this is one of those great crime documentaries like Call Northside 777 (1948) and Mystery Street (1950).

A beloved Protestant Episcopal minister, Father George Lambert (Wyrley Birch), is shot to death at night while lighting his pipe on a city street. A man in a white hat and a dark trench coat runs away. In brief flashback we see several kooks who may be the murderer. After many days there is no break in the case as the political pressure intensifies and the local citizen's committee demands action. State Attorney Henry Harvey (Dana Andrews) and Police Chief Robbie Robinson (Lee J. Cobb) feel the heat. Police Commissioner James (Ben Lackland) perturbs Robinson, who threatens to quit. There are also those politicians who want Harvey to look badly. Trying to ridicule the reform administration currently in power, the local newspaper ("Morning Record") screams a headline: "Report Police Dept. Under Fire From State House." The same newspaper runs editorial cartoons about the blind leading the blind. Finally a vagrant who possibly matches a sketchy description is picked up in Ohio and extradited to Connecticut. He is identified in a police line-up by several witnesses. Under an intense and grueling two-day interrogation by such folks as Detective Lt. White (Karl Malden), the man (John Waldron = Arthur Kennedy) cracks and confesses to the crime. Ballistics tests say that the bullet lodged in Father Lambert's brain came from Waldron's handgun. It appears to be an open and shut case.But when Harvey speaks to Waldron behind bars, he begins to have doubts about Waldron's guilt, even though the suspect is angry and unstable (and, as we have seen, had an altercation with the priest earlier). Harvey remembers the Lawyers' Code of Ethics that justice is more important than conviction. Consequently, at the indictment hearing, although the state attorney lays out a course that appears leading to a deposition of guilt, Harvey in fact states that the suspect is innocent ("nolle prosequi"). The courtroom erupts, immeasurably displeasing the judge, who is also unhappy with Harvey, as is Robinson. The judge, believing that Harvey is being pressured by political chicanery, warns about possible malfeasance and disbarment. Harvey is risking his reputation. There is another angle. Paul Harris (Ed Begley) wants a conviction so that his party will be assured of an election victory. Harris owns the Sunset Realty Company, which is trying to sell ten acres of land to the city for the charitable Project for Recreational Center (for children). If his party does not win the election, the city will not approve of the purchase and Harris will be financially ruined. Complicating matters is that Harvey's dutiful (and attractive) wife, Madge (Jane Wyatt) is an altruistic volunteer Chairman of the Project. Although she is not privy to the schemes of Harris, he threatens to implicate her; it will look bad in the newspapers. Harris even pulls out a handgun and threatens Harvey (Yikes, only in Hollywood!). On the second day of the indictment session, Harvey requests that he call in witnesses, not prohibited but unusual. He shows the inconsistencies of the statements of the witnesses, with at least one with an agenda. Harvey also demonstrates that the police ballistics testing was incorrect. Seeing his ruin, Harris takes out his handgun and commits suicide. Case dismissed. The newspaper reads: "Waldron Freed" and "Harvey Exonerates Murder Suspect." Meanwhile a possible suspect perishes in an automobile crash. By the way, the case was never solved.The movie was based upon the murder of a popular Catholic priest (not a Protestant minister), Father Hubert Dahme, in 1924 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. That case too was never solved. As Bridgeport would not cooperate with filming, the movie was shot in nearby Stamford. It is interesting to note that the state attorney (Homer Cummings, a Democrat) on that case became the nation's attorney general in the Roosevelt Administration. Ably directed by Elia Kazan, this realistic and hard-hitting drama is one of the best films of the year. Dana Andrews, an intense actor, stars as a lawman with a deep conscience. Jane Wyatt, whose career began in the 1930s, would later star (as Margaret Anderson) with Robert Young in the popular "Father Knows Best" TV series (1954-1960). Top portrayals were also delivered by proved performers Arthur Kennedy, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, and Karl Malden.

This is a very powerful film. Dana Andrews is at his best here, and I always thought it sad that despite some very good movie roles that he never made it to the upper echelon of acting. Perhaps that was due to his alcoholism.As is made evident in the film, it is based on a true story from 1924 Connecticut, when a priest, walking along a street at night, is shot in the head. A vagrant and discharged soldier with emotional problems in indicted for the murder, but only after the case lags and the local government is skewered by the press and the citizenry. So once a suspect is found and arrested, there is a rush to judgment. However, the local district attorney -- and later Attorney General of the U.S. under FDR -- doesn't believe the man in guilty. Through an interesting courtroom segment, the man is found not guilty.Elia Kazan does a bang-up job directing here, but, unfortunately, with the film being shot on location (although in a different community from where the events actually took place), production values are not high. It's interesting to see the lovely Jane Wyatt, although her part is of passing interest (as Andrews wife). Lee J. Cobb (as a detective) and Arthur Kennedy (as the suspect) are never favorites of mine, but both turn in very good performances here, as due Karl Malden (another police officer) and Ed Begley (as a shady local politician).If I were into crime dramas more, this would probably find a place on my DVD shelf, but I'll settle for occasionally watching it on TCM. And, make no mistake, this one is definitely worth watching.