No Way Out (1950)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writers:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz (written by) and
Lesser Samuels (written by)

Release Date:

16 August 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

Is it a question ...or an answer

Plot:

The Biddle brothers, shot while robbing a gas station, are taken to the prison ward of the County Hospital; Ray Biddle...

Plot Keywords:

Brothers | Hospital | Race Riot | Death Of Brother | Shot In The Leg

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Richard Widmark	...	Ray Biddle
Linda Darnell	...	Edie Johnson - Mrs. John Biddle
Stephen McNally	...	Dr. Dan Wharton
Sidney Poitier	...	Dr. Luther Brooks
Mildred Joanne Smith	...	Cora Brooks
Harry Bellaver	...	George Biddle
Stanley Ridges	...	Dr. Sam Moreland
Dots Johnson	...	Lefty Jones - Orderly

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #14257) | West Germany:16 (f) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Although many credit this as Sidney Poitier's film debut, he had previously made three short films for the Signal Corps.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Biography: Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Solid entertainment. Can't wait for the DVD!

I heard a rumor that this was coming out on DVD in 2006. I hope it's true because this is a fascinating film. Actually, "shocking" might be a better word.

Bigotry is the main theme and there is no beating around the bush here. The "n- word" is used at least 20 times in this film in one form or another which is shocking to hear in a classic film. Richard Widmark plays the main bigot and he is fascinating to watch. Few people in his day could play the wild-eyed fanatical villain as well as he could (see "Kiss Of Death" for the best example).

This was Sidney Poiteir's screen debut and he looks about 16 years old! He looks too young to be a doctor even if he is portrayed as someone in their first year of practice. Anyway, with Widmark and Poitier, and a fine supporting cast with some famous names, you have a very, very interesting movie that is long overdue to be made available to the public.

To the film's credit, this shows bigotry on both sides: black and white, although it concentrates more on white against black. Linda Darnell plays perhaps the most interesting role because she is the one person who switches back and forth, unable most of the time to figure out what side to take! For those who remember the Naked City TV series, it's also fun to see Harry Bellaver in here, playing Widmark's deaf-mute brother.

This movie could easily be very dated.....but it isn't.