No Way Out (1950)
Genre: Drama / Filmnoir
Duration: 106 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Stars: Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier and Linda Darnell
IMDb score:
7,4 (7.016)
Releasedate: 16 August 1950
No Way Out plot
"Is it a question... or an answer?"
A white patient dies through no fault of a black doctor. Gangsters friends of the deceased use him as a scapegoat and retaliate by causing racial unrest.
Actors and actresses
Dr. Luther Brooks
Edie Johnson - Mrs. John Biddle
Ray Biddle
Dr. Dan Wharton
Cora Brooks
George Biddle
Dr. Sam Moreland
Lefty Jones - Orderly
Louie - Assistant Deputy in Hospital Prison Ward (uncredited)
School Teacher (uncredited)
Reviews & comments
Movsin
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- 8358 messages
- 8456 votes
The trials and tribulations of a young black doctor who falls victim to white-black contradictions in a noisy city neighborhood where mutual hatred is very extreme.
A good story, atmospheric and excitingly depicted, not unbelievable but with the eternally recurring theme in the end of "the bad guy who turns out to have extenuating circumstances - from his youth, for example - and comes to some sense of repentance; the good guy who takes a very generous and forgiving attitude . Anyway, the American audience loved it and we already saw it from James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and others, why not from Richard Widmark who is very good in his role In addition, Linda Darnell is also excellent.
The striking dialogues and the jazzy-evergreen soundtrack are also commendable in this film. Indeed,Brix, Arte is often very welcome.
Translated from Dutch · View original
pjmj
-
- 311 messages
- 288 votes
I witnessed about 96 minutes of anger-inducing discrimination against a dark-skinned doctor by a truly evil white criminal (excellently played by Richard Widmark, by the way). I can imagine that this film was not welcomed with open arms in certain parts of the United States at the time (1950) or was even completely banned for fear of provocations and unrest.
Although he plays an important leading role in this film (the film is all about HIM as far as I'm concerned), Sidney Poitier's name was not mentioned on the first page of actors at the beginning of the film, but only on the second page and then also in a smaller font. I felt this was an insult to the performance of this great actor.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Filmkriebel
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- 10209 messages
- 4776 votes
Small milestone indeed. Showing a black person as a doctor in 1950 seems like a complete turnaround in film history. Until now, blacks were only seen on screen as slaves, cotton pickers and domestic servants. Higher education for blacks had existed since 1830, but mainly in the northern states. When Dr. Brooks treats a wounded criminal with a puncture, he dies and is accused of murder by his racist brother, which threatens to lead to race riots. I think Widmark is a misunderstood actor; the foul language, ranging from "stinking nigger" to "little black Sambo" is viciously spewed about the honorable Brooks. It is striking that this time the lady is not a femme fatale, but is always morally on the right path. Not bad, although there are not many powerful scenes for my taste.
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