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20th Century Fox
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Two hoodlum brothers are brought into hospital for gunshot wounds, and when one dies, the other accuses their Black doctor of murder.
CinemaSerf
Jan 11, 2026 · via TMDB
Talk about biting the hand that would feed you! Two petty thieves end up in hospital after a robbery went wrong. “Ray” (Richard Widmark) is an angry and odious character who refuses to let the duty doctor “Brooks” (Sydney Poitier) anywhere near his injured brother. His protestations are ignored, but when the patient dies his brother begins to make all sorts of vile racist assertions against the doctor. These noises are soon being heard on the streets, and with racial tensions already running high the situation becomes dangerous for the doctor, his family, his hospital and amidst a community at large just itching for a brawl. Central to this toxicity is “Edie” (Linda Darnell). She was formerly married to the deceased man and although she’s not quite a card-carrying member of the KKK, she is still fairly bigoted and is inclined to support the allegations of “Ray”. However, as she sees the brutality unfold might she realise that she is wrong, that “Ray” is wrong and that she might be the only one who can help - especially when “Ray” escapes and sets off on his own path of vengeance. Widmark wasn’t always the most engaging of actors, indeed he could be downright wooden at times, but here there is something viscerally unpleasant about his characterisation and he commits himself completely to depicting an ignorant man convincingly. Darnell is also on great form as a troubled soul for whom it is quite difficult to have sympathy at the start, but whose performance rather effectively epitomises struggles across America with matters of racism, mental illness and to an extent, sexism too. Poitier’s character isn’t so very well developed, but he still manages to bring a professional dignity to his role, especially towards the conclusion, and all in all this is a thought-provoking film that even manages to evoke a little pity, too.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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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)
Harry Carter
Orderly (uncredited)
Ossie Davis
John Brooks (uncredited)
Ruby Dee
Connie Brooks (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn
Sam (uncredited)
Elzie Emanuel
Student (uncredited)
Francine Everett
Woman (uncredited)
Bert Freed
Rocky Miller (uncredited)
Fred Graham
Wilson (uncredited)
Ray Hyke
Orderly (uncredited)
Victor Kilian
Father (uncredited)
Jack Kruschen
(uncredited)
Harry Lauter
Orderly (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton
Doctor (uncredited)
Kathy Marlowe
Woman (uncredited)
Charles McAvoy
Riley (uncredited)
Eda Reiss Merin
Nurse (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell
Bailiff (uncredited)
Frederick O'Neal
Man (uncredited)
Frank Overton
Intern (uncredited)
Barbara Pepper
Woman (uncredited)
Maudie Prickett
Woman (uncredited)
William Pullen
Ambulance Doctor (uncredited)
Amanda Randolph
Gladys (uncredited)
Frank Richards
Mac (uncredited)
Davis Roberts
Heckler at Riot Meeting (uncredited)
Kathryn Sheldon
Mother (uncredited)
Ray Teal
Day Deputy in Hospital Prison Ward (uncredited)
Jim Toney
Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
George Tyne
Whitey (uncredited)
Ann Tyrrell
Nurse (uncredited)
Ruth Warren
Sam's Wife (uncredited)
Leola Wendorff
Polish Wife (uncredited)
John Whitney
Assistant (uncredited)
Mack Williams
Husband (uncredited)
Ian Wolfe
Watkins (uncredited)
Will Wright
Dr. Cheney (uncredited)
Ann Morrison
Nurse (uncredited)
Milton Krasner
Director of Photography
Travilla
Costume Design
Darryl F. Zanuck
Presenter
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Director
Barbara McLean
Editor
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
Alfred Newman
Original Music Composer
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Writer
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Bicara Cinta
2020
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1965
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Battle your watched movies head-to-head
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Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
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2008 · 14 wins
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1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
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1981 · 11 wins
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