Wow! has there ever been a better pair of skanky partners in crime in the history of movie villainy than Jack Palance (making his debut) and Zero Mostel?
If there has I haven't seen it.
This one stars Richard Widmark, suffering only minor conflicts, as he tries to save New Orleans from a potential Pneumatic plague epidemic.
He conflicts with sceptics who doubt his diagnosis, but always has staunch backing from the Mayor, which is what counts.
He has some conflict with the reluctant Police Chief, who is ordered to help him find the potential carriers, which allows for some witty dialogue and eventually leads to mutual respect and friendship.
And he has some minor conflict between his duty to his family and his duty to his job and, being America, the job always comes first, as I guess it should in this case, with thousands of lives on the line.
I usually avoid medical movies, but this one is neatly interwoven with low life scheming and murder, so I enjoyed it very much.
Review of Panic in the Streets
