Call Northside 777 Reviews

One of the best things about this docu-noir about an innocent man imprisoned is the very believable undercurrent throughout that nobody believes the guy is innocent, not even the reporter (Jimmy Stewart) assigned the case. Well, that and its shot in Chicago. The cast delivers, especially the washerwoman mom of the convicted.

Another fascinating entry into the "docu-realism" noirs of the late 1940's. In it, director Henry Hathaway braids documentary footage with his film to make an interesting blend of fantasy and reality. Much like Dassin's "The Naked City" which focuses on crime in New York, Hathaway's film appears to be a case study of Chicago.
Hathaway starts the picture by showing the history of the Windy City as being riddled with crime and corruption. When one policeman is murdered, the newspaper almost comically states "another policeman murdered." Hathaway crafts this scene in such a way that I was having a hard time deciphering what was newsreel footage and what was his film.
It is this attention and unflinching commitment to realism & detail in the first act-most masterfully showcased in scenes such as the one involving a lie detector-that take would could easily have been a rather laborious watch and make it quite enjoyable. By gliding from newsroom to newsroom and watching countless minutes of Stewart hammering away on his Underwood Five, Hathaway not only brilliantly keeps with the film's authenticity, but also subtly shows the evolution of the case and the subsequent groundswell of support that it is garnering.
Stewart as always, is fantastic. Still oozing the All-American boyish charm that he is known for, but also displaying a hard-lined cynical nature on his brow. Nothing impresses him, nothing amazes him, but he still has an honest eye for justice. And even amid all of his serious journalistic pursuits, he managed to get a few well-earned laughs out of me.
Yet, while much of the film's first act works excellently, Hathaway's attempts at realism are soon thwarted by the good nature at the film's core. While Chicago is introduced as being historically amoral, Hathaway suggests that things may be on the upswing. Stewart may be a cynic, but his true colors begin to shine through as the film progresses. (And they are honest & Red, White, and Blue.) He does nothing for selfish gain and truly wants justice to prevail. This attitude appears to be infectious as citizens of the city continually come forth, proclaiming their own desire to see wrongs set right. It all climaxes in a clandestine court room hearing in which Stewart lectures the room on the meaning of lady justice. It is at times like these that the film ceases to be a realistic procedural and starts to feel a bit like "Mr. Smith Takes on the Justice System." Complete with an omniscient narrator telling the viewers "Yes, it's a good world outside."
Were this a joint production by Hathaway and Capra, I would totally understand. But until then I will always be wondering what caused Hathaway to take such a sharp right in what was looking to be a very solid film.

This is a awesome film, Black and White Made in 1948, Another Jimmy Stewart film . Jimmy is a reporter trying to prove the innocents of the murder of a policeman. Takes place in Chicago. Good Crime Drama, 4 1/2 stars

If anyone can help an innocent man out of jail, it's James Stewart. This is a really great movie with a true story too.

Great performances and an intriguing true story are hampered by an unimaginative and overly methodical screenplay. Interesting but not all that exciting.

The whole pseudo-documentary thing really robbed the already floundering story.

A stunningly well-made docudrama that was undeniably far ahead of its time. One of Stewart's best performances, and a huge milestone of its time. Consistently gripping and believable, it disregards the somewhat melodramatic standards of 1940s cinema drama.

It was cool to see Chicago in the late 40's. Stewart and Lee J Cobb hold this noiry tale together. The woman playing the mother of the jailed man was impressive as well.

I wouldn't count this as one of my favorite Jimmy Stewart movies, but it's definitely worth a watch as a Springfieldian to see Jimmy's character (a Chicago Times reporter) fly down to Springfield and go to the State Capitol and the offices of the Illinois State Journal. So neat to hear one of my favorite actors talk about Springfield!

Excellent film, an early example of the power of the press using investigative reporting. Exceptional storyline, plot, acting, I was glued to my seat the entire time...

Professional, paced, and a little too polite. Stewart's personality helps carry this, but unfortunately this film lacks the excitement of many of the upstart B pics in this genre. Admirably down to earth, but less memorable.

1940's Chicago is an intriguing setting, and the story was pretty good. It's better than the stereotypical high-pants fast-talker you might expect it to be. Where CSI could have solved this one in a fraction of the time, this movie utilizes subtle suspense, and even with a few goofs with respect to the geography of Illinois (down to Chicago, up to Springfield, out to Decatur, and I did catch one "IllinoiS" in there), this was a pretty okay movie.

A reporter becomes convinced that an man convicted of murdering a cop ten years prior is innocent. It's low-key but effective. Rather straight-forward story telling, but James Stewart's grounded performance carries the movie through its slow moments.

Jimmy Stewart stars in this documentary-style legal drama based on a true story. During Prohibition, Frank Wiecek (Richard Conte) is falsely accused and imprisoned for killing a cop in a speakeasy. His mother, Tillie (Kasia Orzazewski), has a fierce belief in her son's innocence, but it's only when reporter P.J. McNeal (Stewart) starts investigating the crime 11 years later that the truth comes to light. Lee J. Cobb costars as McNeal's editor.

Jimmy Stewart always rules. But apart from that, this movie was pretty unmemorable. To tell the truth, I can't even remember what it was about.

Not bad, if not pretty good. Call Northside 777 is good mystery and dramatic film; with all the departments doing a good job telling the story. In a nutshell, it's not the greatest or most memorable, but still interesting nevertheless.

Decent, and certainly well crafted.

Monday, September 10, 2012

(1948) Call Northside 777
DOCU- DRAMA

Based on an actual incident about how a very skeptical reporter by the name of P.J. (Jim) McNeal played by James Stewart able to prove an accused to be innocent. It may also be the first film to showcase how a "lie detector test" works. The movie's title "Call Northside 777" is only the ad reporter Mc Neal responded to which was made by the accused's mother posting a huge reward to prove his son innocence. This is my second viewing since I thought it was well made but outdated and uninteresting beause of precident and because of better reporting films such as "All The President's Men" and "The Big Clock" and Foreign Correspondent" to name a few which are movies that seem to be more current.

3 out of 4 stars

James Stewart does it again in a very interesting and believable flick.
He is so damn good.

With its seemingly enthralling, and documentary-based script, Call Northside 777 is a pretty decent and eventful crime drama with an urban touch. James Stewart (in an interesting role) is drawn into an old murder case, and has to investigate whether all the facts are actually making sense. Based on a true story, this movie presents a moving tale of the wrongly accused and their constant fight to prove their innocence, even when there aren't any trails that might lead onto a different suspect. While it lacks in its storytelling and is sometimes rather slow, it still is a worthy position in the crime/noir genre.