Boomerang

Boomerang.  Director Elia Kazan won critical acclaim for this 1947 true crime drama set in Stamford CT. Dana Andrews stars as a District Attorney out to bring the suspected murderer of a beloved priest to justice. Jane Wyatt and Lee J. Cobb play supporting roles.  85 minutes. CC.

This film was based on a case in the career of Homer Cummings, then a local D.A. in Connecticut, who would go on to become Attorney General of the United States during the first two administrations of Franklin Roosevelt. Cummings would eventually found the prestigious Bridgeport law firm of Cummings and Lockwood. 

The murder actually took place in Bridgeport in 1924, but in 1947 the City of Bridgeport would not give permission to shoot the film there, and so the filmmakers chose Stamford instead. It is interesting to see how Stamford, now a booming metropolis, looked almost 80 years ago.

Dana Andrews and Jane Wyatt

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Where the Sidewalk Ends. Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney star in this 1950 film noir directed by Otto Preminger. A few years earlier the three had collaborated  on the sophisticated screen classic Laura, but now we find them in the underworld. Andrews plays a rogue cop who mistakenly kills a suspect and tries to cover up his mistake.

Preminger's artful direction, the black and white cinematography by Joseph LaShelle, the gritty screenplay by Ben Hecht, and the musical score that features the unforgettable melody "Street Scene" make this the epitome of film noir. 95 minutes.  CC. 

Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews

I prefer to watch on DVD with closed captions and features like excellent full commentary by TCM film noir host Eddie Muller, but the film is available for streaming on You Tube. Here is a link to Muller's five minute intro to the film, or see the video below.

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