The Phenix City Story (1955)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

Daniel Mainwaring (writer)
Crane Wilbur (writer)

Release Date:

14 August 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

ALABAMA'S CITY OF SIN AND SHAME! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

In this semidocumentary, an Alabama town is run by a crime syndicate that's grown fat on prostitution and crooked gambling...

Plot Keywords:

Gambling | Alabama | Lawyer | State Attorney General | Campaign

Cast

John McIntire	...	Albert Patterson
Richard Kiley	...	John Patterson
Kathryn Grant	...	Ellie Rhodes
Edward Andrews	...	Rhett Tanner
Lenka Peterson	...	Mary Jo Patterson
Biff McGuire	...	Fred Gage
Truman Smith	...	Ed Gage
Jean Carson	...	Cassie
Kathy Marlowe	...	Mamie (as Katherine Marlowe)
John Larch	...	Clem Wilson
Allen Nourse	...	Jeb Bassett
Helen Martin	...	Helen Ward
Otto Hulett	...	Hugh Bentley
George Mitchell	...	Hugh Britton
Ma Beachie	...	Herself

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1956) | Finland:K-18 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Phenix City, Alabama, USA

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Trivia:

This is one of Martin Scorsese's personal favorite films.

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Phenix City Blues

Low budget, hard hitting.

During the Clete Roberts preface, I was beginning to think this was an Ed Wood production, however, what rolls out here is some pretty hard hitting stuff. The story of crime and corruption in a Southern town is told using a cast culled from Hollywood's Poverty Row, and this makes the movie all the more realistic. There are no punches pulled here, and at times the film is reminiscent of "The Well"(1951). The Black and White texture gives a newsreel-like quality. For certain, younger viewers will be reminded of "The Blair Witch Project" but this one IS based on REAL events!