Kirk Douglas was in the forefront of a set of movie stars in the post war period (with Montgomery Clift, Marlon Brando, James Dean, Burt Lancaster, and (a little later) Paul Newman) who had more emotional problems than initially appeared in their characters. Douglas looked competent and able in every part, but sooner or later something would show his less attractive personality. When he played Midge, the great boxer, in CHAMPION, his selfishness expands and expands as his reputation does. His motivations for joining forces with Burt Lancaster's Wyatt Earp in GUNFIGHT AT THE O. K. Corral is based in part on a rivalry with John Ireland as Johnny Ringo, a rival of Doc Holiday for a woman. And his Detective Jim McLeod is a modern day Inspector Javert, ashamed of his father's criminal behavior that drove his mother insane - and determined to root out all evil, no matter how big or small it is.
DETECTIVE STORY, a successful play by Sidney Kingsley, has classical unity, as it takes place all in one day - which happens to be the final day of McLeod's life. He is the central detective in the story, and we see him early enjoying a moment of joy with his wife Mary (Eleanor Parker). But once he is in the precinct he is all business, involved in three cases: the arrest of two burglars responsible for nine burglaries; the arrest of a young man (who is actually clean-cut) for embezzling from his employer, and the completion (after a year) of a serious abortion case against one Karl Scneider (George Macready), a former doctor now a New Jersey farmer. Schneider has been responsible for at least one patient's death in the past, and another of his patients is currently in Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. Since Schneider has been lucky so far, McCleod is furious and keeps pushing the envelope to get him. As it turns out Schneider happens to have information on McCleod's household - which his attorney threatens to reveal to the press. The precinct commander (Horace MacMahon) is forced to get to the bottom of this mystery.
There is no compassion whatsoever from Douglas to any criminals. He explains that when he was starting out he arrested two young punks, but took pity on them and let them go. Three days later, one killed a store owner in a robbery. Douglas says he won't make that mistake again. He never seems to notice that the other punk was not (apparently) in the robbery - murder, and presumably could have turned over a new leaf.
So he won't give a break to the young embezzler, who stole from his employer to try to wine and dine an old girlfriend who no longer wants to know him - even though the money can be replaced. McCleod's partner Brody (William Bendix) is more gentle (the young man reminds him of Bendix's dead son). But McLeod won't change.
Then comes the shocker - Macmahon discovers the secret that Parker and Gerald Mohr (Parker's old boyfriend) have concealed - which Macready would have been equally willing to conceal if Douglas had not persecuted him. It destroys the peace of mind and Douglas's home-life in two shattering moments in the movie.
As for the pair of burglars, one of them is a total simpleton, but the brains of the outfit (Joseph Weismann in a great over-the-top part) is far more colorful...and more deadly. In fact, Weismann and Douglass are perfectly balanced for the conclusion of the movie: literally they settle each other's hash with a couple of shots.
A first class direction job by William Wyler, and the cast (with good performances in support by Luis van Rooten, Lee Grant (her first film part), and Gladys George). And a really good, if stagy, conclusion to a fine film.
DETECTIVE STORY, a successful play by Sidney Kingsley, has classical unity, as it takes place all in one day - which happens to be the final day of McLeod's life. He is the central detective in the story, and we see him early enjoying a moment of joy with his wife Mary (Eleanor Parker). But once he is in the precinct he is all business, involved in three cases: the arrest of two burglars responsible for nine burglaries; the arrest of a young man (who is actually clean-cut) for embezzling from his employer, and the completion (after a year) of a serious abortion case against one Karl Scneider (George Macready), a former doctor now a New Jersey farmer. Schneider has been responsible for at least one patient's death in the past, and another of his patients is currently in Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. Since Schneider has been lucky so far, McCleod is furious and keeps pushing the envelope to get him. As it turns out Schneider happens to have information on McCleod's household - which his attorney threatens to reveal to the press. The precinct commander (Horace MacMahon) is forced to get to the bottom of this mystery.
There is no compassion whatsoever from Douglas to any criminals. He explains that when he was starting out he arrested two young punks, but took pity on them and let them go. Three days later, one killed a store owner in a robbery. Douglas says he won't make that mistake again. He never seems to notice that the other punk was not (apparently) in the robbery - murder, and presumably could have turned over a new leaf.
So he won't give a break to the young embezzler, who stole from his employer to try to wine and dine an old girlfriend who no longer wants to know him - even though the money can be replaced. McCleod's partner Brody (William Bendix) is more gentle (the young man reminds him of Bendix's dead son). But McLeod won't change.
Then comes the shocker - Macmahon discovers the secret that Parker and Gerald Mohr (Parker's old boyfriend) have concealed - which Macready would have been equally willing to conceal if Douglas had not persecuted him. It destroys the peace of mind and Douglas's home-life in two shattering moments in the movie.
As for the pair of burglars, one of them is a total simpleton, but the brains of the outfit (Joseph Weismann in a great over-the-top part) is far more colorful...and more deadly. In fact, Weismann and Douglass are perfectly balanced for the conclusion of the movie: literally they settle each other's hash with a couple of shots.
A first class direction job by William Wyler, and the cast (with good performances in support by Luis van Rooten, Lee Grant (her first film part), and Gladys George). And a really good, if stagy, conclusion to a fine film.