- Film Review
- Reviewed By David Parkinson
-
4 out of 5
Shot on location on the New Orleans waterfront, this tense drama might have seemed an unusual choice for director Elia Kazan. Yet, given the mood of xenophobia that prevailed in the United States at the time, the storyline - the killing of an illegal immigrant results in a potential plague outbreak - is very much in keeping with Kazan's preoccupation with racism as demonstrated in Gentleman's Agreement and Pinky. Richard Widmark gives one of his more restrained performances as the health inspector teaming up with cop Paul Douglas to apprehend the plague-infected murderers, compellingly played by Jack Palance and Zero Mostel, who was himself hounded during the Communist witch-hunt the following year.
Plot Summary
Drama starring Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas. A physician is called in to identify the strange disease that has infected the body of a man found murdered on a New Orleans dock. When he diagnoses that the victim has died of pneumonic plague, he decides to investigate.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Clinton Reed
- Richard Widmark
- Police Captain Tom Warren
- Paul Douglas
- Nancy Reed
- Barbara Bel Geddes
- Blackie
- Jack Palance
- Raymond Fitch
- Zero Mostel
- Neff
- Dan Riss
- John Mefaris
- Alexis Minotis
- Poldi
- Guy Thomajan
- Vince Poldi
- Tommy Cook
- Jordan
- Edward Kennedy
- Cook
- H T Tsiang
- Kochak
- Lewis Charles
- Captain Beauclyde
- Emile Meyer
Crew
- Director
- Elia Kazan
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