Members of a family witness two murders, but the gang uses threats, violence and kidnapping to try to keep the members from testifying.Members of a family witness two murders, but the gang uses threats, violence and kidnapping to try to keep the members from testifying.Members of a family witness two murders, but the gang uses threats, violence and kidnapping to try to keep the members from testifying.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total
Guy D'Ennery
- Jack Short - Henchman
- (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing
- Jim Sockett - Policeman
- (uncredited)
Mike Donlin
- Mickey - Henchman
- (uncredited)
Tom Dugan
- Deputy Brown
- (uncredited)
Robert Elliott
- Deputy Williams
- (uncredited)
Ben Hall
- Orville - Timekeeper at W.P. Randolph
- (uncredited)
George Irving
- Judge
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia"Variety" reported that the film was rushed into release because of a gang shooting in Harlem in which several children were shot and the police could not get witnesses to talk. The Motion Picture Herald also reported that Warner Bros. gave the proceeds of the first two performances at The Winter Garden to the families of the children who were shot during gang warfare in Little Italy.
- GoofsTwo men are shot in the back while running away, but they clutch their chests as they fall down.
- Crazy creditsIntro: "A neighborhood of plain people - - in an American city of today."
- ConnectionsVersion of The Man Who Dared (1939)
- SoundtracksYankee Doodle
(ca. 1755) (uncredited)
Traditional music of English origin
Played often on a fife by Charles 'Chic' Sale
Featured review
Desperate hours.....
...Our the grandpa's hour.
More than the gangsters ,it's a detailed depiction of an American family circa 1930:the father,proud of his job who worries about his son who's given up high school,the mum everyone would like to have ,the daughter who forgets dinner time in her squeeze's arms,and the twins who are absolutely lovable ("Don't go to sleep first ,please!").
And there's the grandfather ,playing the Yankee doodle on his flute .Have you noticed that this tune plays the same role as Doris Day's "Que Sera Sera" in Hitchcock's "The man who knew too much" (1956)?And there's this grandpa who is finally the most courageous person of the family .So old he does not even tell you his age ,but proud of his country and resisting to the gangster's hateful blackmail.
A good film by Wellman.
More than the gangsters ,it's a detailed depiction of an American family circa 1930:the father,proud of his job who worries about his son who's given up high school,the mum everyone would like to have ,the daughter who forgets dinner time in her squeeze's arms,and the twins who are absolutely lovable ("Don't go to sleep first ,please!").
And there's the grandfather ,playing the Yankee doodle on his flute .Have you noticed that this tune plays the same role as Doris Day's "Que Sera Sera" in Hitchcock's "The man who knew too much" (1956)?And there's this grandpa who is finally the most courageous person of the family .So old he does not even tell you his age ,but proud of his country and resisting to the gangster's hateful blackmail.
A good film by Wellman.
helpful•81
- dbdumonteil
- Jun 25, 2008
Details
- Runtime1 hour 8 minutes
- Color
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