Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Detective Story (1951)
Director: William Wyler
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Twenty-four hours in the life of a precinct station, just another day during which Douglas' jutting-jawed cop uses sadistic strong-arm tactics on a variety of suspects, discovers that his wife has had dealings with a slimy abortionist, throws a hysterical tantrum or two, and runs accidentally on purpose into a hoodlum's bullet. Underlying it all is a morality about the good man driven over the edge by the evil all around him, not made any less stagy by the way several characters come on as though auditioning for a Method class. It has a certain compulsiveness, but as with Dead End (also based on a play by Sidney Kingsley), the main interest lies in the admirable set.Author: TM
Cast & crew
Director: William Wyler
Producer: William Wyler
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Horace McMahon, Cathy O'Donnell, George Macready, Joseph Wiseman, Lee Grant full cast
Genre(s): Film Noir
Duration: 103 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing






What do you think?
Post your review now