Walk a Crooked Mile
| Walk a Crooked Mile | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release lobby card | |
| Directed by | Gordon Douglas |
| Screenplay by | George Bruce |
| Story by | Bertram Millhauser |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Narrated by | Reed Hadley |
| Cinematography | |
| Edited by | Black and white |
Production company | Edward Small Productions |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Walk a Crooked Mile is a 1948 America
Plot
Soon after solid leads come to light about a Communist spy ring infiltrating the Lakeview Laboratory of Nuclear Physics, a southern California atomic research center, Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Dan O'Hara (Dennis O'Keefe) teams up with Scotland Yard detective Philip Grayson (Louis Hayward) to hunt down the perpetrators responsible for the leak, and at least one of the scientists at the nuclear lab is suspected to be involved in the clandestine, espionage operation.
Cast
- Louis Hayward as Philip 'Scotty' Grayson
- Dennis O'Keefe as Daniel F. O'Hara
- Louise Allbritton as Dr. Toni Neva
- Carl Esmond as Dr. Ritter von Stolb
- Onslow Stevens as Igor Braun
- Raymond Burr as Krebs
- Art Baker as Dr. Frederick Townsend
- Lowell Gilmore as Dr. William Forrest
- Philip Van Zandt as Anton Radchek
- Charles Evans as Dr. Homer Allen
- Frank Ferguson as Carl Bemish
- Reed Hadley as Narrator
Production
The film was one of the first
The original title was Face of Treason, which was changed to FBI vs Scotland Yard.
Exteriors are mostly from San Francisco but the film starts with exteriors from Brand Boulevard, Glendale, California.[3][4]
Reception
When the film was released, The New York Times film critic, Bosley Crowther, while giving the film mixed review, wrote well of the screenplay, "No use to speak of the action or the acting. It's strictly routine. But the plot is deliberately sensational."[5]
The staff at Variety gave the film a favorable review, writing, "Action swings to San Francisco and back to the southland, punching hard all the time under the knowledgeable direction of Gordon Douglas. On-the-site filming of locales adds authenticity. George Bruce has loaded his script with nifty twists that add air of reality to the meller doings in the Bertram Millhauser story. Dialog is good and situations believably developed, even the highly contrived melodramatic finale. Documentary flavor is forwarded by Reed Hadley's credible narration chore."[6]
References
- ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (Aug 23, 1948). "Dennis O'Keefe Costar of Small's 'Dark Page;' Carmen, Wally Reunited". Los Angeles Times. p. 11.
- ^ Muller, Eddie. "Noir Alley: Walk a Crooked Mile (1948) Inro". You Tube. Tuner Classic Movies. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ CitySleuth (August 18, 2019). "Walk A Crooked Mile - 1 - Red Scare". Reel SF. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
San Francisco movie locations from classic films
- ^ CitySleuth (March 29, 2020). "Walk A Crooked Mile - 9 - Pier 36". Reel SF. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ Crowther, Bosly. The New York Times, film review, October 13, 1948. Last accessed: February 27, 2011.
- ^ Variety, film review. September 2, 1949. Last accessed: February 27, 2011.
