WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS
US, 1950, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney, Gary Merrill, Bert Freed, Tom Tully, Karl Malden, Ruth Donnelly, Craig Stevens, Neville Brand, Oleg Cassini.
Directed by Otto Preminger.
Otto Preminger was an actor and a tough presence in Hollywood. He moved to direction in the mid-40s becoming famous with his version of Laura which starred Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney. He then moved to bigger-budget films including Forever Amber. However, during the 1950s he made a number of gritty films like this one. He also flouted the Motion Picture Code with his 1953 comedy, The Moon is Blue, deciding to use such banned words as “pregnant” and “virgin”. (He was later to confront the code in 1956 with his film about the deep south, Hurry Sundown.) Later he was to move into much bigger-budget filming especially with films like Exodus and The Cardinal. He continued making films but his output declined in quantity and quality during the late 60s and early 70s with films like Skidoo, Such Good Friends and Rosebud.
This is a film about a policeman who accidentally kills someone. He decides to cover up, pinning the murder on a gangster whom he dislikes and whom he confronts. Dana Andrews is the policeman. Gary Merrill the gangster. The film has a very strong supporting cast – of historical interest, costume designer Oleg Cassini who appears as Oleg the fashion designer, was married to Gene Tierney at this time.
An interesting example from 1950 of a film noir. The screenplay is by veteran theatre writer, Ben Hecht (author with Charles MacArthur of The Front Page). It is of interest to look at the IMDB details for Where the Sidewalk Ends to see that Ben Hecht is named as being an uncredited contributor to the screenplay of almost one hundred films from the 30s to the 50s.
1. The success of this film as a thriller, its retaining audience interest, its development of themes?
2. Black and white photography, authenticity of New York atmosphere, the 1950s-style gangster film?
3. The significance of the title, indications of themes about police and justice, the credits sequence?
4. The importance of the sequences setting the tones the police and the beat, their work in the city, promotions, Dixon and his violent chip on his shoulder and lack of promotion? The attitudes within the police force, standards needed for justice? The dedication of the police?
5. The immediate contrast with Scalisi and his gaming, the pressurizing of the Texan, the fight provoked, the murder? Audience response to the criminals and their way of life?
6. The character of Paine, his use of Morgan, the challenge and the murder of Morrison? The consequences for all the characters?
7. How well drawn was the character of Dixon? His background and attitudes to being a policeman? His roughness? His challenge of Paine and his death? Why did he make the decisions he did? The influence of fear and other motivation? How interesting was the film in tracing the detail of his cover-up, the flat, the taxi, the railway station, the bag, his arrival again, getting rid of the body etc.? Where were audience sympathies in this?
8. How attractive a character was Morgan? First impressions at the gaming, seeing her at work, her relationship with the father, with Paine? The attr tion to Mark? Relying on him? The irony of his being the killer, the victimization of her father? The audience knowing what she did not know?
9. The growing relationship between Morgan and Dixon? Not telling the truth, the warmth of the sequences in the restaurant, the employing of the lawyer, her looking after him after the bashing?
10. How enjoyable a character was Taylor? A strong New York character and taxi-driver, his talk, enthusiasm about remembering Mark? A victim of circumstances in going to prison?
11. The growing pain for Dixon? His plans, his trying to cope with his deception, his hurt to Paul, then borrowing money etc.?
12. Audience response to his plan and Its execution? His relentless pursuing of Scalisi? His using and blackmailing gangsters? His violent attitude in the gymnasium, the repercussions then for his being bashed by Scalisi’s men? The awareness of the possibility of his death? The significance of his writing the letter while Morgan slept? The close-ups of his face?
13. The plan going awry? Scabies’s suspicions? The police tailing Mark with the result of the arrest?
14. How important was it for him to tell the truth? The resulting arrest? Morgan's reading the letter and her support of him? Was this authentic? Did he do the right thing?
15. The happy ending and its promise? Was this appropriate? A good insight into the way of police work, the human element, background? Justice and law and order?
