Two hoodlum brothers are brought into hospital for gunshot wounds, and when one dies, the other accuses their Black doctor of murder.
Acting
Widmark's racist villain is terrifyingly human, not cartoon.
Direction
Mankiewicz keeps you trapped in hospital claustrophobia.
Writing
Dialogue that weaponizes every casual slur and microaggression.
Director
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Richard Widmark
Ray Biddle
Linda Darnell
Edie Johnson
Sidney Poitier
Luther Brooks
Stephen McNally
Dan Wharton
Mildred Joanne Smith
Cora Brooks
Harry Bellaver
George Biddle
Stanley Ridges
Sam Moreland
Dots Johnson
Lefty Jones
Robert Adler
Louie (uncredited)
Ernest Anderson
School Teacher (uncredited)
Jessie Arnold
Woman (uncredited)
Eleanor Audley
Wife (uncredited)
Betsy Blair
Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released 1950, this predates the Civil Rights Movement and was considered dangerously radical — some theaters refused to screen it.
Richard Widmark was so disturbed by his own performance that he apologized to Poitier on set — they became lifelong friends.
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