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He Walked by Night (1948)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
9 August 1949 (Sweden) moreTagline:
Savage! ... Searing! ... True! morePlot:
This film-noir piece, told in semi-documentary style, follows police on the hunt for a resourceful criminal who shoots and kills a cop. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
1 win moreNewsDesk:
Thomas Jane Channels Pulp Horror For Directorial Debut 'Dark Country'(From MTV Movies Blog. 6 October 2009, 1:00 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
One of the most influential, yet overlooked, movies of all time. more (51 total)Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Richard Basehart | ... | Roy Martin / Roy Morgan | |
| Scott Brady | ... | Sgt. Marty Brennan | |
| Roy Roberts | ... | Capt. Breen | |
| Whit Bissell | ... | Paul Reeves | |
| James Cardwell | ... | Sgt. Chuck Jones (as Jimmy Cardwell) | |
| Jack Webb | ... | Lee |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The L.A. Investigator (USA) (working title)Twenty-Nine Clues (USA) (working title)
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Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
79 minCountry:
USAColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Fun Stuff
Trivia:
'He Walked By Night' was a historical film in that it was the first to use the Los Angeles Water System and its series of canals as a backdrop. moreGoofs:
Revealing mistakes: When running through the sewers, electric cords powering the the flashlights are visible moreQuotes:
Narrator: And so the tedious quest went on. Sergeant Brennan wore out his shoes and his patience going from police station to police station, checking photos until his eyes were blurry, for policework is not all glamor and excitement and glory. There are days and days of routine... moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (51 total)
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Most hardcore film buffs probably don't know that "He Walked By Night" is one of the most influential and important movies ever made. Literally. It is an accurate account of the 1947 manhunt for the most cunning criminal in the history of the Los Angeles Police Department. "He Walked By Night" is a turning point in the detective movie, displaying the real-life police procedures used in searching for a criminal, which include teamwork and technology, and showing far more realistic characters than other flicks did. Other movies of this era showed phony, daring detectives engaging in shoot-em-ups with criminals while wooing a woman. "He Walked By Night" captures reality in a stark and startling way, with excellent black-and-white photography from John Alton. Though Scott Brady was probably too young (24) as the lead detective in this movie, his realistic performance is a welcomed relief from the over-the-top camp performances from actors in other detective movies, such as Dick Powell's in "Murder My Sweet" and Alan Ladd's in every one of his detective movies.
The realistic technique of this movie was so innovative, that Jack Webb (who has his first good-sized role in this movie) used this technique in making his 1940s radio show "Dragnet." When he brought "Dragnet" to television in 1951, the style of the show influenced countless other shows, launching realistic police drama in television. This realistic style is very noticeable in TV shows today, such as "Law and Order," and "NYPD Blue."
As influential as "He Walked By Night" was, it is also a finely acted, finely directed, well-written, and intense police movie. It is being re-released on DVD under "The Great Cops Movies," so don't miss it.