Cry of the City [Blu-ray]

Director: Robert Siodmak

Overview

The opening scene of Robert Siodmak's grim film noir depicts police lieutenants Candella (Victor Mature) and Collins (Fred Clark) observing wounded cop killer Martin Rome (Richard Conte) receive last rites. Though Rome recovers, he still must elude Candella and Collins in his desperate attempt to escape his fate. Rome has two visitors in the hospital: his girlfriend, Teena (Debra Paget), who goes into hiding, and Niles (Berry Kroeger), a crooked lawyer. Niles tries to bribe Rome to take a jewel theft and homicide rap for a client of his since Rome is facing the electric chair anyway. When Rome refuses, Niles threatens to frame Teena as the client's female accomplice. Worried that Candella might find Teena, Rome breaks out of jail and goes to Niles' office to accept the offer, but he actually plans to leave the country with Teena. When Niles reneges, Rome kills him, but not before learning the accomplice's identity and discovering the stolen jewels in the lawyer's safe. Rome finds the accomplice, Rose Given (Hope Emerson), and offers to trade the jewelry for the means to leave the country. She agrees, and they arrange a meeting in the subway, but Rome informs Candella of the plan. When the police arrive, Candella is shot, Rose is arrested, and Rome escapes to meet up with Teena in a church. As he is trying to convince Teena to run away with him, a wounded Candella shows up and tells Teena how Rome uses people and that everyone who helped in his escape will be paying a price. Teena rejects Rome, and he runs again, only to be shot down by Candella. The moral order is ultimately restored, but no one has been left unscarred.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/15/2016
UPC:	0738329206451
Original Release:	1948
Rating:	NR
Language:	English
Time:	1:35:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Victor Mature	Lt. Candella
Richard Conte	Martin Rome
Shelley Winters	Brenda Martingale,Ledbetter
Debra Paget	Teena Riconti
Fred Clark	Lt. Collins,Mounted Policeman
Betty Garde	Mrs. Pruett
Berry Kroeger	W.A. Niles
Tommy Cook	Tony Rome
Hope Emerson	Rose Given
Walter Baldwin	Orvy,Orvy
June Storey	Miss Boone
Tito Vuolo	Papa Roma
Mimi Aguglia	Mama Roma
Dolores Castle	Rosa
Claudette Ross	Rosa's Daughter
Tiny Francone	Perdita
Elena Savonarola	Francesca
Thomas Ingersoll	Priest
Vito Scotti	Julio
Konstantin Shayne	Dr. Veroff
Howard Freeman	Sullivan
Robert Karnes	Intern
Charles Tannen	Intern
Oliver Blake	Caputo
Antonio Filauri	Vaselli
Joan Miller	Vera
Ken Christy	Loomis
Eddie Parks	Mike
Charles Wagenheim	Counterman
Kathleen Howard	Mrs. Fruett's Mother
Jane Nigh	Nurse
Martin Begley	Bartender
Michael Sheridan	Detective
Emil Rameau	Dr Niklas
John Cortay	Policeman
George Melford	Barber
Harry Carter	Elevator Operator
Robert Adler	Man
Harry Seymour	Man
Ruth Clifford	Nurse
Tom Moore	Doctor
George Andre Beranger	Barber
Michael Stark	Cop
Helen Troya	Girl
Thomas Nello	Julio
Ed Hinton	Cop
George Magrill	Cop
Alfred Newman	Composer

Technical Credits

Richard Murphy

Fred Sersen	Special Effects
Sol C. Siegel	Producer
Richard Murphy	Screenwriter
Roger Heman	Sound/Sound Designer
Eugene Grossman	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

A film noir in the "docudrama" mode, Cry of the City is a gripping and complex crime film that noir enthusiasts will enjoy. Cry is not without its flaws. The plotting, even for a crime drama, gets a little complicated and occasionally feels slightly disjointed; a plot segment involving stolen jewels doesn't feel natural, for example. However, director Richard Siodmak's expert direction is so taut and incisive that most will forgive it these flaws. Aided by Lloyd Ahern and Fred Sersen's stunning lensing, Siodmak keeps the audience riveted from start to finish. He's aided immensely by his cast, lead by Richard Conte's incredible performance as Rome. Conte perfectly captures the character's charming snake quality; indeed, the audience is rooting for him through most of the picture, despite the fact that he is a dangerous criminal. Conte cons the viewer into being on his side, and it is only at the end that the viewer realizes he has been had as easily as everyone else in the film. Victor Mature, surprisingly, also turns in an excellent performance, arguably the best of his career, and delivers the crucial climactic speech with passion yet without going over the top. Hope Emerson, playing a game of cat-and-mouse with Conte, is unforgettable, and Berry Kroeger is a memorably nasty lawyer. Cry of the City is an engrossing and thrilling film.