Shazam!
High Life
Widows
The Walking Dead
Log in with Facebook
OR
By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango.
Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password.
We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified.
Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service.
No consensus yet.
All Critics (10) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (7) | Rotten (3)
Nicholas Ray's direction stresses the realism of the script taken from Willard Motley's novel of the same title, and gives the film a hard, taut pace that compels complete attention. Oct 22, 2007 | Full Review…
Nicholas Ray's direction stresses the realism of the script taken from Willard Motley's novel of the same title, and gives the film a hard, taut pace that compels complete attention.
Variety Staff
A pretentiously 'social' melodrama which came to the Astor yesterday. Mar 25, 2006 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
A pretentiously 'social' melodrama which came to the Astor yesterday.
Bosley Crowther
I's hard hitting in its own right, tautly crafted, and repeatedly stabbed through with Ray's impulsive generosity and anguish towards his characters. Feb 9, 2006 | Full Review…
I's hard hitting in its own right, tautly crafted, and repeatedly stabbed through with Ray's impulsive generosity and anguish towards his characters.
Nicholas Ray wrestles with his social consciousness and loses in this drab 1949 drama. Jan 1, 2000 | Full Review…
Nicholas Ray wrestles with his social consciousness and loses in this drab 1949 drama.
Dave Kehr
The courtroom perorations are drab, but Nicholas Ray takes off in the fervid slums Feb 19, 2012 | Full Review…
The courtroom perorations are drab, but Nicholas Ray takes off in the fervid slums
Fernando F. Croce
This hard-hitting crime melodrama offers excellent direction from the always interesting Nicholas Ray and a fine performance from Bogart. Oct 22, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…
This hard-hitting crime melodrama offers excellent direction from the always interesting Nicholas Ray and a fine performance from Bogart.
Though Ray's film has a strong sense of social and moral outrage, the narrative doesn't bear out the simplistic conclusions arrived at. Mar 21, 2005 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…
Though Ray's film has a strong sense of social and moral outrage, the narrative doesn't bear out the simplistic conclusions arrived at.
Dennis Schwartz
The excitement and tension is built up nicely, and although it touches on the melodramatic at times, remains crisp and sharp throughout. May 24, 2003 | Full Review…
The excitement and tension is built up nicely, and although it touches on the melodramatic at times, remains crisp and sharp throughout.
Film4 Staff
A strange, silly, sloppy, boring movie that shouldn't have starred Bogart, he's worthy of a much better script.
Super Reviewer
Adele Morton: If I were as cynical as you, I'd hang myself.
Andrew Morton: If you were as cynical as me? I wouldn't even trust the rope.
Another Bogart movie I've never seen. God bless Ted Turner and TCM. I swear, TCM must be the greatest TV station of all time. As I've said before, I've never met a Bogart movie I didn't like. This one is no exception. He plays a "good guy" in this one, and he's brilliant either way. Nobody can deliver a line like Bogart, and no one can deliver a moralizing speech like the one at the end of this film like Bogart. In a lesser actor's hands, you might be tempted to laugh, but Bogart makes the lessoning stick like crazy glue and stand like the Rock of Gibraltar. Perhaps the best male actor of all time.
Nick Ray's direction shines when Knock on Any Door isn't wallowing in its own mediocrity, heavy-handed social commentary and dull performances. Bogart and Macready aside, of course. Bogart plays an attorney who tries to save John Derek (playing an Italian) from a murder rap. The story follows Derek's character more than it showcases Bogart's. If you watch this movie you'll quickly understand why it's not a must-see Bogart movie. If you're looking for a much better pairing of Bogart and Ray you'll do well to watch In a Lonely Place.
There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.
View All