Detective Story
Seen it?1951 | 103 min | Crime, Drama
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (71% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it drew serious awards attention, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans. If you loved Prisoners or Gone Baby Gone, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 43 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1951: an older pace and style.
Tells the story of one day in the lives of the various people who populate a police detective squad. An embittered cop, Det. Jim McLeod, leads a precinct of characters in their grim daily battle with the city's lowlife. The characters who pass through the precinct over the course of the day include a young petty embezzler, a pair of burglars, and a naive shoplifter.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
71% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Cannes award: Cannes Film Festival: Best Actress. Also nominated for 4 Oscars, 3 Golden Globes and 1 BAFTA. Plus 3 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$3 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 32K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by William Wyler
- Kirk DouglasDet. James McLeod
- Eleanor ParkerMary McLeod
- William BendixDet. Lou Brody
- Cathy O'DonnellSusan Carmichael
- George MacreadyKarl Schneider
- Horace McMahonLt. Monaghan
- Gladys GeorgeMiss Hatch
- Joseph WisemanCharley Gennini
- Lee GrantShoplifter
- Gerald MohrTami Giacoppetti