Lumsdal Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Alex da Silva Lieutenants Victor Mature (Candella) and Fred Clark (Collins) get to gangster and cop-killer Richard Conte's (Martin) hospital bedside because they want to bust his backside and get information regarding a couple of crimes. He's not the sort to play ball, though, and gives them the slip. Mature gets on his case despite there being a family friendship.The story seems a little empty and the film never really kicks into gear. The cast are good but the storyline is unrealistic and uninteresting. Family friends take a different life-path - one good and one bad - leading to a showdown in the end. Even the climax is horribly contrived. Nothing very memorable but the cast make it ok for a single viewing to pass some time.

XhcnoirX Cop killer Richard Conte escapes from a prison's hospital ward with police lieutenant Victor Mature and his partner Fred Clark on his tail. Aside from killing a cop, Mature also wants Conte for his potential involvement in a jewel heist, based on allegations made by slimy lawyer Berry Kroeger. Conte however is only interested in making sure his girl Debra Paget doesn't get caught up in anything and tries to get her out of harm's way by finding the people behind the heist.A basic plot that is transformed into a crackerjack top-shelf noir by the excellent cast and crew led by director Robert Siodmak ('The Killers'). Noir regulars Conte ('New York Confidential') and Mature ('I Wake Up Screaming') play characters that fit them like a well- worn glove and it shows. Especially Conte is in excellent form here, he seems even more electric & intense than usual. But what really struck me with this movie is how many characters it has and how nuanced and well-written they are. The screenplay by Richard Murphy ('Panic In The Streets') and an uncredited Ben Hecht ('Notorious'), based on a novel by Henry Edward Helseth, is exceptional, as it brings each character to life in ways that do not slow down the pace of the movie but actually adds to the movie's flow. And of course this is helped by some great performances, especially Mimi 'Mama' Aguglia ('The Brothers Rico') as Conte's mother and Hope Emerson ('House Of Strangers') as a masseuse/jewel-thief are memorable.Shot both on backlots and on the streets of NYC, the movie looks great. It's not a chiaroscuro masterpiece, but DoP Lloyd Ahern ('The Brasher Doubloon') and Siodmak do a good job of using specific camera angles to add tension and atmosphere. They always keep things interesting, with the occasional highlight that draws attention to the shot itself, such as Emerson's entrance into the movie which is stunning (both in the basic idea as in the execution). I was more than impressed by this movie, which really took me by surprise, and I will definitely revisit this movie soon. Highly recommended! 9/10

bgilmore-4 Few films defined as "film noir" are as bleak and unrelenting as "Cry of the City" It features Rcihard Conte as a unrepentant underworld figure who escapes from a prison hospital ward to protect a woman who was in on a jewel caper with him. Everywhere he turns there are old enemies and potential set-ups but he manges to avoid both the cops and criminals that are after him until the final big scene.Released at the peak of the noir cycle this film will appeal to any that find that style to be their favorite. More mainstream viewers will wonder the hu-bub is about as the lines of dialog can appear heavy handed as if lifted from Broadway play and force fed the actors. All the thesps are great including Victor mature as a no nonsense cop from the same neighborhood that spawned our anti-hero. Only in one scene does Conte's rough veneer seem to crack: When confronted by Mature about his past even the heartless gangster can't seem to convince himself that he is anything but a user and a taker. It is a powerful scene that fits in well with so many New york exterior shots. The benefits of the film also rest in the picture's accumulation of small detail that outweighs any of the staginess inherent in the screenplay.

blanche-2 Richard Conte and Victor Mature play tough adversaries in "Cry of the City," a 1948 film noir from 20th Century Fox, directed by Robert Siodmak. It also stars Shelley Winters, Debra Paget, Tommy Cook, Hope Emerson, Roland Winters and Barry Kroeger. Set on the streets of New York, the subways, the lower class neighborhoods, the film's atmosphere is perfect,although the story of gangster versus cop is derivative. Conte plays Martin Rome, a completely amoral thug who escapes from the prison hospital where he's recovering from bullet wounds. He manipulates and/or uses everyone he runs into in his quest to get some relief from his injuries, get money to leave town and find his girlfriend. His victims include an equally crooked attorney (Kroeger), a she-man masseuse (Emerson), an old girlfriend (Winters), his mother and his brother. Meanwhile, another kid from the neighborhood, Lt. Candella (Mature) tries to find him and at the same time convince Martin's little brother that Martin's choices should not be his.The film is a little slow-moving at times, but Conte and Mature have never been better. There was always something a little dumb about Mature's performances - probably because he didn't take himself too seriously. Just as filming had started on a scene of 1984's "Samson & Delilah," he announced to the entire cast and crew, "I knew he was gay," when one of the actors sat next to a known gay actor. The scene had to be started over. Despite Mature's less than committed attitude, Robert Siodmak drew an excellent performance from him, possibly his best. The underrated Conte was always a force to be reckoned with, and this is one of his best roles.There are some stunning shots to be appreciated in "Cry of the City" - my favorite is as Rose Given takes a walk down her long hallway, the shadows that look like prison bars giving way to curtains and Rose's face and body walking into focus.Much to like here, but in the end, it's quite predictable, right down to the ending. But the acting, atmosphere and characters created are a real treat.