Call Northside 777
1948
When a cop is murdered on patrol small-time crook Frank Wiecke takes the rap and is sentenced to life. Eleven years later, hard-boiled reporter PJ O'Neal is assigned to look into the case but finds the authorities unwilling to co-operate... Read more
| Starring | James Stewart, Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb, Helen Walker |
|---|---|
| Director | Henry Hathaway |
| Genres | Drama |
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Critics' reviews (4)
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James Stewart doesn't always convince as the investigating reporter trying to clear Richard Conte of a murder he didn't commit, but the growing sense of injustice carries you along in director Henry Hathaway's crime drama based on a real-life story. With producer Louis de Rochemont (who made his name with The March of Time newsreels), Hathaway had forged a new style of gritty movie-making that reconstructed true stories with a realism and attention to the details of police procedure that made them seem more like documentaries than thrillers, starting with 1945's The House on 92nd Street. The technique soon became clichéd and this is the last picture in the cycle that still works as a vibrant and crusading piece of film-making.
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Overlong semi-documentary crime thriller based on a real case. Acting and detail excellent, but the sharp edge of Boomerang is missing.
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One of the most impressive of Fox's semi-documentary noir thrillers shot on location (here Chicago), this sees Stewart... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
View all -
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
James Stewart At His Best
Having seen this film some years ago,i can`t understand why this film has still not got a release date on DVD. The script is well written and the cast are superb, Stewart plays a newspaper reporter who decides after being approached by the mother of a man ( her son ) sent to prison for a crime he did`nt commit.
A great film, why oh why can`t we make films like this anymore today. -
[Highly rated reviewer]
Average film, nice details
Not a great deal of intensity or revelations in this film, perhaps because it is based on a true story. It's nicely filmed and certain locations – the Polish quarter of Chicago for instance – are evocative. There are also elements of poverty and seediness that you don't tend to see in films of this era and they are filmed plausibly and add interest.
Summing up, this film is probably most interesting for the little details rather than the big picture. -
Worthy
Although this film could be described as 'worthy' in that it shows up injustice and mistakes, I felt that it told the story well and that James Stewart was ideal for the part of the journalist. I liked its pace and its semi-documentary style. It all worked for me.
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Most recent members' review
View all -
[Highly rated reviewer]
Average film, nice details
Not a great deal of intensity or revelations in this film, perhaps because it is based on a true story. It's nicely filmed and certain locations – the Polish quarter of Chicago for instance – are evocative. There are also elements of poverty and seediness that you don't tend to see in films of this era and they are filmed plausibly and add interest.
Summing up, this film is probably most interesting for the little details rather than the big picture.
-
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
James Stewart At His Best
Having seen this film some years ago,i can`t understand why this film has still not got a release date on DVD. The script is well written and the cast are superb, Stewart plays a newspaper reporter who decides after being approached by the mother of a man ( her son ) sent to prison for a crime he did`nt commit.
A great film, why oh why can`t we make films like this anymore today. -
[Highly rated reviewer]
Average film, nice details
Not a great deal of intensity or revelations in this film, perhaps because it is based on a true story. It's nicely filmed and certain locations – the Polish quarter of Chicago for instance – are evocative. There are also elements of poverty and seediness that you don't tend to see in films of this era and they are filmed plausibly and add interest.
Summing up, this film is probably most interesting for the little details rather than the big picture. -
Worthy
Although this film could be described as 'worthy' in that it shows up injustice and mistakes, I felt that it told the story well and that James Stewart was ideal for the part of the journalist. I liked its pace and its semi-documentary style. It all worked for me.
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Critics' reviews (4)
-
James Stewart doesn't always convince as the investigating reporter trying to clear Richard Conte of a murder he didn't commit, but the growing sense of injustice carries you along in director Henry Hathaway's crime drama based on a real-life story. With producer Louis de Rochemont (who made his name with The March of Time newsreels), Hathaway had forged a new style of gritty movie-making that reconstructed true stories with a realism and attention to the details of police procedure that made them seem more like documentaries than thrillers, starting with 1945's The House on 92nd Street. The technique soon became clichéd and this is the last picture in the cycle that still works as a vibrant and crusading piece of film-making.
-
Overlong semi-documentary crime thriller based on a real case. Acting and detail excellent, but the sharp edge of Boomerang is missing.
-
One of the most impressive of Fox's semi-documentary noir thrillers shot on location (here Chicago), this sees Stewart... read more on Time Out
-
An absorbingly intelligent thriller
Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop
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Call Northside 777
When a cop is murdered on patrol small-time crook Frank Wiecke takes the rap and is sentenced to life. Eleven years later, hard-boiled reporter PJ O'Neal is assigned to look into the case but finds the authorities unwilling to co-operate......
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