Spikeopath Cry of the City is directed by Robert Siodmak and adapted to screenplay by Richard Murphy and Ben Hecht from the novel The Chair for Martin Rome written by Henry Edward Helseth. It stars Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Fred Clark, Shelley Winters, Betty Garde, Hope Emerson and Debra Paget. Music is by Alfred Newman and cinematography by Lloyd Ahern.They were once boyhood friends in New York's Little Italy, but now, on either side of the law, Lt. Candella (Mature) and cop killer Martin Rome (Conte), are on a collision course from which neither may survive?Excellent and under seen film noir from 20th Century Fox who initially conceived it as a follow up to cash in on the success of Kiss of Death the previous year. Cry of the City may be simple in premise, that of a good versus evil chase like formula, with an extra edge added as Candella and Rome battle for the soul of Rome's younger brother, but what unfolds is a tough and uncompromising story painted vividly with style and atmospheric grace on a noir canvas by Siodmak.Siodmak made no secret of the fact he was "uncomfortable" about coming out of the confines of studio noir productions into airy location filming, but the great man need not have worried, for here we get a perfect example of what he could achieve outdoors. New York thrums to the hustle and bustle of day time life, of transport duties and everyday mundane functions, only to then become at night a city crying to the tune of ghetto dislocation, where rain sodden streets, long shadows and emergency service sirens struggle to hide the corruptible and forlorn people shuffling about the place.Packed with classic noir characters, such as a shyster lawyer, amoral doctor and a devilishly brutish masseuse with a kink (the latter played by Hope Emerson with a near film stealing performance), it's the doppleganger effect that most shines through in this part of noirville. Candella and Rome are consistently mirror images of each other, both in the futile lives they currently lead, or in how afflictions lead them to their night of reckoning. It's fascinating that Candella is still a firm favourite of the Rome family elders, like he is the good son that Martin never was, while the attire of hunter and prey is most interesting, why is it that our good cop Candella is in dark clobber and our cop killing criminal is in lighter garb?The pretty girls Paget and Winters are just peripheral characters, so there's no femme fatale angle to speak of here. This is more a noir bromance gone wrong story, with shades of religious motifs and a toying of audience sympathies evident for a good portion of the picture. From a beginning that ironically begins with the last rites, to a finale that blends death with a dangled hope of surrogacy, Cry of the City earns the classic noir badge that it was not granted back in the 40s. 8.5/10

romanorum1 Reflecting lights off the wet streets … neon signs flashing inside buildings … the noises of a busy city … odd angles … low angles … exotic women … black and white … of course we are into a noir movie.At the beginning we see Martin Rome (Richard Conte), badly wounded in a hospital bed, receiving the Last Rites of the Church. In fact, he will be in pain – mental as well as physical – for the entire film. Although he comes from a good family, Rome is a criminal who in a shootout has killed a cop, albeit in self-defense. At times Rome will evoke sympathy, for he has some positive attributes; he certainly is charismatic. Sordid lawyer extraordinaire, Neils (Berry Kroeger), who has not a decent bone in his entire body, wants Rome to take the rap for the heist of precious jewels stolen from a Mrs. DeGrazia. Neils figures that Rome is facing a possible death penalty for the death of the policeman anyway. At bedside he is unsuccessful in wheezing out a false confession, even though he says he will frame Rome's teen-aged girlfriend, Teena Riconti (Debra Paget). Later on we will discover Neils has stashed the jewels in his office.Lt. Candella (Victor Mature), a good and decent policeman, has Collins (Fred Clark) for a partner. Candella is not one of those wise-crackers or playboy cops; his essence is almost pokerfaced as compared to Conte's charm. Candella is a friend of the Rome family. It bothers him to know that Martin Rome has taken a different path than the righteous one and has caused his mother and father so much pain. But his real concern is on the direction that Tony Rome (Tommy Cook) will take. Tony is Martin's teen-aged impressionable brother, and Martin's negative influences are strong. His younger brother looks up to him. Martin Rome's interest is on the stolen DeGrazia jewels, and after he escapes from custody – with the significant help from inmate Orvy (Walter Baldwin) – heads for Nile's office dressed in a trench coat and fedora. There, in a confrontation, kills Niles in self-defense and limps away with the jewels. Constantly tracked by Candella and Collins, Rome's wounds are operated on in a car at night by an unlicensed European doctor. Rome soon heads for the business of the masseuse Rose Given (Hope Emerson), who is also implicated in the stolen jewels. Given agrees to trade cash and a ticket out of the country for the jewels, which Rome has hidden in one of the public lockers in a subway station. When Rome leaves to get the jewels, he calls and tips off Candella. When the police arrive at the station they arrest Given, but Rome escapes while Candella is wounded. Soon Rome meets with Teena in a church and tries to convince her to go to South America with him. Rome also orders the now-hesitant Tony to steal some money. But Candella also arrives and sees Teena finally reject Rome, while Tony also switches loyalties. As Rome tries to leave on his own, he is stopped by Candella."Cry of the City" is filmed on location in New York. The characters are more than one-dimensional. It is refreshing that both leads are played by real Italian-Americans (Mature was Italian-Swiss; his family name was Maturi (which means about the same thing as Mature). Mature had some interesting historical he-man roles: Samson, Hannibal, Doc Holliday, and Chief Crazy Horse (!). Richard Conte, as usual, was nothing less than terrific (and underrated). He had already starred in "The Purple Heart" (1944) and Call Northside 777 (1948). Hope Emerson, in her debut, plays an appropriately large (over 200 pounds and six foot two, almost as tall as Victor Mature) and murderous masseuse. When she places her hands around five foot eight Conte's throat she is unsettling, to say the least. Two years later she would be a sadistic prison guard in "Caged." Walter Baldwin plays a woebegone Orvy. Shelley Winters has an appearance as Brenda, who helps Martin Rome. Lovely Debra Paget, in her first role, certainly has the look of a Teena Riconti. It is hard to believe that she had this role, although brief, at only age fifteen. She often played princesses, ancient ladies, and Indian maidens. Tommy Cook also "passes" in this film. See this movie.

Michael_Elliott Cry of the City (1948) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Excellent crime/drama about kids who grow up together but as adults find each other on opposite sides of the law. Victor Mature plays the cop, Richard Conte the criminal Martin Rome, who is in jail for killing a cop but is able to escape and go looking for the girl who might have helped him in a jewel heist. Mature must try to track him down but also make sure that the low-life doesn't become a folk hero to people on the streets including his younger brother. This film borrows the plot from ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES but then takes the story into it's own direction and in the end this is a classic drama with a lot going for it. This is the type of movie that slowly keeps getting better and better all the way up to the terrific ending that I certainly won't reveal here. The movie has some terrific style, great performances and some wonderful atmosphere and all of this wrapped up makes for one of the better entries in the genre. I'm a little surprised that this film hasn't gotten a better reputation over the years. Sure, it seems most reviews are positive but it seems the film has been forgotten by many or not given enough credit by others. I think what makes the film work so well is that it really does come off very realistic and doesn't seem to be trying to be cool or too stylish. The movie doesn't feature the cops beating the heck out of people, smoking cigarettes with flashy dames or acting tough for no reason. I think the Mature character comes off as one of the most real persons from this genre because he's not shown as a hero or played as one but instead he's just a man doing his job. Mature gives a wonderful performance in the role and is very believable as the cop. Conte is also extremely good in his role and the two men share some terrific scenes together including the ending in a church as well as an earlier scene in the hospital. The supporting cast includes a great performance by Fred Clark and Shelley Winters in an early role. Hope Emerson plays an incredibly tough female who wants the jewels and she steals the film in each scene that she's in. She's certainly the highlight of the film and the subway sequence is full of great suspense. Siodmak does a terrific job with the material as he milks all the suspense he can out of each scene but he also lets the screenplay do its job of bringing the characters to life and making them seem real and not just something out of a bad crime movie.

edwagreen This is film-noir at its best. In fact, this is the way they used to make great films.Victor Mature, as the cop, and Richard Conte, the criminal, star in this terrific film.The film shows that despite an excellent upbringing by a Conservative Italian Catholic family, Conte chose a life of crime and he is about to be joined by his kid brother who idolizes him.When Conte breaks out of jail, the fun really begins with everyone in hot pursuit for him.The picture is aided by a fine supporting cast. Hope Emerson, who was Oscar nominated in 1951 for "Caged," shows her mettle here as a hard-boiled tough lady involved in a jewel heist. This must have been Shelley Winters' first film and she makes the most out of it as one of the many Conte girls who drives him around. Debra Paget, who is only 15 years of age here, plays a sweet, innocent thing involved with Conte. She is the love of his life. Bette Garde, so memorable as Wanda Skutnik in "Call Northside 777" plays a nurse who shields Paget. We have Fred Clark as a fellow cop in a pretty serious role for him.What makes this film so good is that it shows how innocent, decent people could be drawn into Conte's web. The bullets may fly in this film but they're well on target.