Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)

“Your job is to detect criminals, not to punish them.” – Insp. Nicholas Foley

Number of Times Seen – 1 (2 Mar 2022)

Brief Synopsis – A detective accidentally kills a witness and does all he can to cover up the crime.

My Take on it – This is a great film noir that I came across while trying to find more films featuring Dana Andrews.

They do a wonderful job setting up the story and showing how events transpire and end up in a place where a seasoned detective need sto make a split second decision on how to act.

Really enjoyed the fact that they let the audience know about things because it allows the viewer to carefully watch how the various characters act since they don’t know that we know.

The film is quite powerful since it also lets the character show how much of a conscience he has when he tries to make sure that the wrong people aren’t accused of his crime since he is hoping to eventually catch a crime boss for this particular act which would help in other matters along the way.

The story works really well and finds ways to constantly raise the suspense level as things move along.

Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Gary Merrill’s character Tommy Scalise frequently uses a nasal inhaler, though showing no obvious signs of congestion. Developed in 1928, Benzedrine brand amphetamine was available without prescription by 1934 as a nasal and bronchial decongestant, but it was also noted for its energizing side effects, and stimulating, performance-enhancing qualities. It didn’t require a prescription until being classified a Schedule II controlled substance in 1959, which is how Scalise’s use of an amphetamine inhaler ducked the Production Code narcotics taboo of the day. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (8/10)