Detective Story
NR, 103 min.
Directed by William Wyler, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, Horace Mcmahon, William Bendix, Lee Grant, Joseph Wiseman, Bert Freed, George Macready.

Adapted from Sidney Kingsley’s heralded play about the inner workings of a New York City precinct, this movie survived with most of its grittiness intact. Although the play’s central character of an abortionist is changed to a doctor who delivers illegitmate babies, this character is still a lowlife who blackmails a detective and his wife. Lee Grant reprises her stage role and makes her film debut here. William Bendix is also a standout.

This article appears in July 7 • 2000.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Marjorie Baumgarten is a film critic and contributing writer at The Austin Chronicle, where she has worked in many capacities since the paper's founding in 1981. She served as the Chronicle's Film Reviews editor for 25 years.