Dead Reckoning (1947)

Director:

John Cromwell

Writers:

Gerald Drayson Adams (story) and
Sidney Biddell (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 January 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

He Doesn't Trust Anyone . . . especially Women !

Plot:

A soldier runs away rather than receive the Medal of Honor, so his buddy gets permission to investigate, and love and death soon follow.

Plot Keywords:

Casino | Gambling | Black American Maid | Smoker | Newspaper Morgue

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Capt. 'Rip' Murdock
Lizabeth Scott	...	'Dusty' Chandler
Morris Carnovsky	...	Martinelli
Charles Cane	...	Lt. Kincaid
William Prince	...	Sgt. Johnny Drake
Marvin Miller	...	Krause
Wallace Ford	...	McGee
James Bell	...	Father Logan
George Chandler	...	Louis Ord
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
John Bohn	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Paul Bradley	...	Man (uncredited)
Ruby Dandridge	...	Mabel (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Harry Denny	...	Dealer (uncredited)
Dudley Dickerson	...	Room Service waiter (uncredited)
Tom Dillon	...	Priest (uncredited)
George Eldredge	...	Police Officer Casey (uncredited)
Matty Fain	...	Ed (uncredited)
Sam Finn	...	Raker (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Nightclub Extra (uncredited)
William Forrest	...	Lt. Col. Simpson (uncredited)
Kay Garrett	...	Dealer (uncredited)
Joe Gilbert	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Alyce Goering	...	Woman (uncredited)
Dick Gordon	...	Dealer (uncredited)
Wilton Graff	...	Surgeon (uncredited)
Jesse Graves	...	Waiter at The Dixie (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Detective (uncredited)
Alvin Hammer	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Maynard Holmes	...	Desk clerk (uncredited)
Hugh Hooker	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Charles Jordan	...	Mike (uncredited)
W.E. Lawrence	...	Stewart (uncredited)
Garry Owen	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Mark Roberts	...	Bandleader (uncredited)
Bob Ryan	...	Detective (uncredited)
Jack Santoro	...	Raker (uncredited)
Syd Saylor	...	Morgue attendant (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Motorcycle cop (uncredited)
Lillian Wells	...	Pretty girl (uncredited)
Frank Wilcox	...	Hotel desk clerk (uncredited)
Isabel Withers	...	Nurse (uncredited)

Directed by
John Cromwell

Writing credits
Gerald Drayson Adams		(story) (as Gerald Adams) and
Sidney Biddell		(story)
Oliver H.P. Garrett		(screenplay) and
Steve Fisher		(screenplay)
Allen Rivkin		adaptation

Produced by
Sidney Biddell	....	producer

Original Music by
Marlin Skiles

Cinematography by
Leo Tover		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gene Havlick

Art Direction by
Stephen Goosson		(as Stephen Goossón)
Rudolph Sternad

Set Decoration by
Louis Diage

Costume Design by
Jean Louis		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Clay Campbell	....	makeup artist
Helen Hunt	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Seymour Friedman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jack A. Goodrich	....	sound recordist (as Jack Goodrich)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ned Scott	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director (as M.W. Stoloff)
Hugo Friedhofer	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Also Known As:

John Cromwell's Dead Reckoning (UK) (complete title) (USA) (copyright title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1948) | Norway:16 (1947) | Finland:(Banned) (1947) | USA:Approved (PCA #11959) | Australia:PG | UK:U | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Penn Station, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The role of Coral Chandler was originally intended for Rita Hayworth, but she had already been cast by her estranged husband, Orson Welles for the role of Elsa in The Lady from Shanghai (1947).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Krause pushes the "unconscious" Murdock into a chair, Murdock takes a step, while falling backward, to keep his balance.

Quotes:

Coral 'Dusty' Chandler: Oh, it's a blue, sick world, Rip.

Movie Connections:

References To Have and Have Not (1944)

Soundtrack:

EITHER IT'S LOVE OR IT ISN'T

Film Noir at is Bogey Best

The one liners; the dialogue that stops mid sentence; the black & white look; tough double crossin dames. This is great film noir or whatever its called. Bogey gets even. And Lizbeth Scott has the best voice this side of L. Bacall. Nice overbite. This is a good one to curl up and watch with the rain pounding outside. Too bad I live in this God forsaken So Cal where it never rains.