Call Northside 777
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| Call Northside 777 | |
|---|---|
 film poster featuring James Stewart in Call Northside 777 | |
| Directed by | Henry Hathaway |
| Produced by | Otto Lang |
| Written by | James P. McGuire (articles) Leonard Hoffman (adaptation) and Quentin Reynolds (adaptation) Jerome Cady and Jay Dratler |
| Starring | James Stewart Richard Conte Lee J. Cobb |
| Music by | Alfred Newman |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation |
| Release date(s) | February 1, 1948 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 111 min |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Call Northside 777, directed by Henry Hathaway, is a 1948 documentary-style drama based on a true story, in which a reporter tries to prove that a man in prison for murder has been wrongly convicted. 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 1933.
This is the first film to be shot on location in Chicago.
[edit] Critical reactions
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 [1] argued that the film may not be a true film noir, but is good none the less: "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." DVD Verdict wrote [2] that the lead actor may be best reason to see the film: "Its value exists mainly in Stewart's finely drawn characterization of a cynical man with a nagging conscience."
[edit] Awards
- Screenwriter Jay Dratler won an Academy Award for writing.
- Won 1949 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Motion Picture Screenplay.
[edit] Cast
Starring
- 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
Actress Thelma Ritter has a small role in the film. Historians agree that her role in the film were cut before the film was released. E.G. Marshall and John McIntire also appear.sv:Ring Northside 777
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