Call Northside 777
| Call Northside 777 | |
|---|---|
| File:Callnorth.jpg Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Henry Hathaway |
| Written by | Adaptation: Leonard Hoffman Quentin Reynolds Screenplay: Jerome Cady Jay Dratler Articles: James P. McGuire Jack McPhaul |
| Produced by | Otto Lang |
| Starring | James Stewart Richard Conte Lee J. Cobb |
| Cinematography | Joseph MacDonald |
| Edited by | J. Watson Webb Jr. |
| Music by | Alfred Newman |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation |
Release dates | February 1 1948 (U.S.A.) |
Running time | 111 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Call Northside 777 (1948) is a documentary-style drama film noir directed by Henry Hathaway.[1] It is based on a true story, in which a reporter tries to prove that a man who has been in prison for murder, was wrongly convicted 11 years ago. James Stewart stars as the persistent journalist. Richard Conte plays the imprisoned Frank Wiecek, a character based on Joseph Majczek, who was wrongly convicted of the murder of a Chicago policeman in 1932, one of the worst years of organized crime during the Great Depression.
This is the first film to be shot on location in Chicago and views of the Merchandise Mart as well as Holy Trinity Polish Mission can be seen throughout the film.
Plot
In 1932, a cop is killed and Frank Wiecek (Conte) sentenced to life. Eleven years later, a newspaper ad by Wiecek's mother leads reporter P.J. McNeal (Stewart) to look more closely into the case.
McNeal continues to believe Frank guilty, but when he starts to change his mind, he meets increased resistance from authorities unwilling to be proved wrong.
Eventually Frank is proved innocent by expanding a photograph showing the date on a newspaper. This scene is fictional.
Cast
- James Stewart as P.J. McNeal
- Richard Conte as Frank Wiecek
- Lee J. Cobb as Brian Kelly, Editor Chicago Times
- Helen Walker as Laura McNeal
- Betty Garde as Wanda Skutnik, Siskovich Grocery Store Owner
- Kasia Orzazewski as Tillie Wiecek
- Joanne De Bergh as Helen Wiecek
- Howard Smith as K.L. Palmer
- Moroni Olsen as Parole Board Chairman
- J.M. Kerrigan as Sullivan
- John McIntire as Sam Faxon
- Paul Harvey as Martin J. Burns
- George Tyne as Tomek Zaleska
- Michael Chapin as Frank Wiecek Jr.
- E.G. Marshall as Rayska
- Walter Greaza as Detective
- Thelma Ritter ad PD receptionist (uncredited)
Critical reception
The film received mostly positive reviews when it was released, and again when the movie was released on DVD in 2004. A 2004 Onion AV Club Review argued that the film may not be a true film noir, but is good nonetheless, and wrote, "Outstanding location shooting and Stewart's driven performance turn a sober film into a vibrant, exciting one, even though the hero and the jailbird he champions are really too noble for noir."[2]
The web site DVD Verdict made the case that the lead actor may be best reason to see the film, and wrote, "Its value exists mainly in Stewart's finely drawn characterization of a cynical man with a nagging conscience."[3]
Awards
Wins
- Edgar Award: from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Motion Picture Screenplay; 1949.
Nominations
- Writers Guild of America: WGA Award; Best Written American Drama, Jerome Cady and Jay Dratler; The Robert Meltzer Award (Screenplay Dealing Most Ably with Problems of the American Scene), Jerome Cady and Jay Dratler; 1949.
References
Notes
- ^ Call Northside 777 at IMDb.
- ^ Murray, Noel. Onion AV Club Review, film review, March 29 2005. Last accessed: April 5 2008
- ^ DVD Verdict. Film review, 2005. Last accessed: April 5, 2008.