IMDb > No Way Out (1950)

No Way Out (1950) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   1,033 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Joseph L. Mankiewicz (written by) and
Lesser Samuels (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for No Way Out on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 August 1950 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Film-Noir more
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... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Ruby Dee At New York A.M.P.A.S. Screening Of "No Way Out" September 21
 (From CinemaRetro. 9 September 2009, 2:10 PM, PDT)
Actor Richard Widmark Dies at 93
 (From IMDb News. 26 March 2008)
User Comments:
Intelligent, Groundbreaking Film more (34 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited 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
more
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
106 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | American Sign Language
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
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 more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Zanuck wanted to schedule the release of "No Way Out" a year after "Pinky," a 1949 movie about racial prejudice, because he wanted "a gradual buildup of audience receptivity." more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "Biography: Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel" (1999) more
Soundtrack:
Don't Get Around Much Anymore more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
17 out of 17 people found the following comment useful.
Intelligent, Groundbreaking Film, 20 March 2005
8/10
Author: dragoneyez01 from USA

After watching this film on television a couple weeks ago (TMC is the best), I was surprised how obscure 'No Way Out' really is. However, I wasn't exactly surprised.

The film follows Dr. Brooks (Sidney Poitier), an ER doctor whose first real-world experience is as intern in the prison ward of a New York hospital. While on duty, the brothers Biddle (the older of which is played by Richard Widmark), come in following a confrontation with the police. Both suffer from superficial injuries, but the younger brother's health is declining rapidly due to what Brooks diagnoses as a brain tumor. The kid dies while Brooks is operating, feet away from his brother. The racist Ray Biddle soon accuses Brooks of murder, but won't allow an autopsy to be conducted on his brother to determine the cause of death.

Poitier turns in a great performance as the hard-working young doctor, who is debased by the hollow accusations of a bigot. They dig at his core and bring up insecurities that would be common to anyone in the medical field, but are aggravated by the pure hatred of Widmark's equally well-played character.

While the script borders on stereotypes at times, you have to remember that these stereotypes were very real during the time it was written. The writer does a fantastic job of adding depth, personality, beyond the paper figures. Brooks is a practical man, who supports his family and tries to not let the circumstances bring him down. Behind the veneer of hatred, Biddle is a deeply insecure and misguided man who has let circumstance blacken his core. Mankiewicz and Samuels do an amazing job at bringing life to a situation that was taboo for the time.

Aside from the competent acting and well-executed script, the film featured a moving and well-choreographed race riot that fully captures the raw hatred that can surface between groups of people who face the same everyday problems and circumstances, but are torn by one difference (color, or creed, or religion).

This is definitely a film well worth seeing. For its time, the movie was groundbreaking for its portrayal of both racists and their victims. While today the movie may seem tame, it undoubtedly struck some sensitive nerves during its release. The film deserves to be more widely known, if only for its content.

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