1956·Crime·1h 20m
7.0
★
A newspaper publisher, wanting to prove a point about the insufficiency of circumstantial evidence, talks his possible son-in-law Tom into a hoax in an attempt to expose ineptitude of the city's hard-line district attorney. The plan is to have Tom plant clues leading to his arrest for killing a female nightclub dancer. Once Tom is found guilty, he is to reveal the setup and humiliate the DA.
Directed by Fritz Lang
film noir
capital punishment
incriminate
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Dana Andrews
Tom Garrett
Joan Fontaine
Susan Spencer
Sidney Blackmer
Austin Spencer
Arthur Franz
Bob Hale
Philip Bourneuf
Roy Thompson
Edward Binns
Lt. Kennedy
Shepperd Strudwick
Jonathan Wilson
Robin Raymond
Terry Larue
Barbara Nichols
Dolly Moore
Rusty Lane
Judge
Joyce Taylor
Joan Williams
Carleton Young
Allan Kirk
Crew
Fritz Lang
Director
Popular Reviews
22 reviews
Bryce
6.0★ · 03/07/26
This is a stupid permise and a stupid ending, but Lang does present amazing twists and turns in this movie that made this a fun watch. Not very plausible, but due to the code I see why they had to end it like that.
This is a stupid permise and a stupid ending, but Lang does present amazing twists and turns in this movie that made this a fun watch. Not very plausible, but due to the code I see why they had to end it like that.
Erik Olsson
6.0★ · 12/09/25
confused Tim Allen noises
confused Tim Allen noises
andrea berrocal
6.0★ · 07/21/25
bastante mejor de lo que me esperaba porque parecía que iba a tener un argumento simple en un principio, pero la trama da sus tumbos.
aunque es verdad que hay momentos que flojea, escenas que tienen reacciones no acordes y algo sobre un matrimonio que no tiene mucho sentido, porque habrían encontrado pruebas. pero, a pesar de ello, ha estado entretenida.
y mi hermana ha pegado tal grito cuando se descubre la verdad que hasta me ha dado escalofríos.
aunque es verdad que hay momentos que flojea, escenas que tienen reacciones no acordes y algo sobre un matrimonio que no tiene mucho sentido, porque habrían encontrado pruebas. pero, a pesar de ello, ha estado entretenida.
y mi hermana ha pegado tal grito cuando se descubre la verdad que hasta me ha dado escalofríos.
bastante mejor de lo que me esperaba porque parecía que iba a tener un argumento simple en un principio, pero la trama da sus tumbos.
aunque es verdad que hay momentos que flojea, escenas que tienen reacciones no acordes y algo sobre un matrimonio que no tiene mucho sentido, porque habrían encontrado pruebas. pero, a pesar de ello, ha estado entretenida.
y mi hermana ha pegado tal grito cuando se descubre la verdad que hasta me ha dado escalofríos.
aunque es verdad que hay momentos que flojea, escenas que tienen reacciones no acordes y algo sobre un matrimonio que no tiene mucho sentido, porque habrían encontrado pruebas. pero, a pesar de ello, ha estado entretenida.
y mi hermana ha pegado tal grito cuando se descubre la verdad que hasta me ha dado escalofríos.
kylie
7.0★ · 06/18/24
as someone who opposes the current u.s. criminal justice system, and especially hates the death penalty, i enjoyed most of what this film is trying to do. obviously, it's very significant to depict an innocent man being wrongly accused, but i also like that they turn this around and ALSO depict a guilty man going free (even if it doesn't last). the characters involved may not be too interesting, but this film's story is definitely important & contains a larger statement about our country.
...that is, until they ruin everything in the film's final moments. this film should've just stayed a decently-crafted critique on our justice system, but no, they needed that awful last second twist. following which, a man WILL be executed. whether he's guilty or not is irrelevant; either way, this move throws so much of the film's thematic worth right out the window. it's disappointing.
...that is, until they ruin everything in the film's final moments. this film should've just stayed a decently-crafted critique on our justice system, but no, they needed that awful last second twist. following which, a man WILL be executed. whether he's guilty or not is irrelevant; either way, this move throws so much of the film's thematic worth right out the window. it's disappointing.
as someone who opposes the current u.s. criminal justice system, and especially hates the death penalty, i enjoyed most of what this film is trying to do. obviously, it's very significant to depict an innocent man being wrongly accused, but i also like that they turn this around and ALSO depict a guilty man going free (even if it doesn't last). the characters involved may not be too interesting, but this film's story is definitely important & contains a larger statement about our country.
...that is, until they ruin everything in the film's final moments. this film should've just stayed a decently-crafted critique on our justice system, but no, they needed that awful last second twist. following which, a man WILL be executed. whether he's guilty or not is irrelevant; either way, this move throws so much of the film's thematic worth right out the window. it's disappointing.
...that is, until they ruin everything in the film's final moments. this film should've just stayed a decently-crafted critique on our justice system, but no, they needed that awful last second twist. following which, a man WILL be executed. whether he's guilty or not is irrelevant; either way, this move throws so much of the film's thematic worth right out the window. it's disappointing.
Chip
10.0★ · 06/06/23
While the first 70 minutes of this were absolutely incredible and should not go unappreciated, the last 10 minutes might be the most unexpected and genuinely crazy ending I've ever seen to a movie. Brilliant and chaotic stuff going on here from Lang.
While the first 70 minutes of this were absolutely incredible and should not go unappreciated, the last 10 minutes might be the most unexpected and genuinely crazy ending I've ever seen to a movie. Brilliant and chaotic stuff going on here from Lang.