Shot on a shoestring budget The Captive City features the starring film debut of
John Forsythe. It also has the endorsement of Senator Estes Kefauver who was
busy running for president at the time when it made it's debut on April 11, 1952.
Forsythe plays the editor of a smalltown newspaper who gets a story from a private investigator on a divorce case. He's representing the wife of a local bookie suing for divorce and he's being hassled by some very big muscle way out of proportion. When the PI is run down by a car, Forsythe pursues the story.
Against the advice of one and all. But what has happened is that this local bookie played by Victor Sutherland has taken on the syndicate as a partner. These folks make all kinds of threats laced with intimidation.
Forsythe does a nice job as the crusading editor whose only real support in the town is his wife Joan Camden. A few familiar faces like Martin Milner, Ray Teal, and Ian Wolfe are in the cast, but the performance best remembered will be that of Marjorie Crossland as Sutherland's wife. She's a truly frightened woman and has reason to be.
Estes Kefauver chair of the special Senate committee investigating organized crime introduced and provided a conclusion for the film. Kefauver was also running for president and racking up a string of primary victories when this film was released. The Captive City turned out to be a great campaign commercial. His party drafted Adlai Stevenson to stop him and in 1952 America liked Ike best of all.
Still The Captive City is a fine film, a good suspenseful noir,.
Forsythe plays the editor of a smalltown newspaper who gets a story from a private investigator on a divorce case. He's representing the wife of a local bookie suing for divorce and he's being hassled by some very big muscle way out of proportion. When the PI is run down by a car, Forsythe pursues the story.
Against the advice of one and all. But what has happened is that this local bookie played by Victor Sutherland has taken on the syndicate as a partner. These folks make all kinds of threats laced with intimidation.
Forsythe does a nice job as the crusading editor whose only real support in the town is his wife Joan Camden. A few familiar faces like Martin Milner, Ray Teal, and Ian Wolfe are in the cast, but the performance best remembered will be that of Marjorie Crossland as Sutherland's wife. She's a truly frightened woman and has reason to be.
Estes Kefauver chair of the special Senate committee investigating organized crime introduced and provided a conclusion for the film. Kefauver was also running for president and racking up a string of primary victories when this film was released. The Captive City turned out to be a great campaign commercial. His party drafted Adlai Stevenson to stop him and in 1952 America liked Ike best of all.
Still The Captive City is a fine film, a good suspenseful noir,.