'', directed by
Henry Hathaway , is a
1948 Documentary -style
Drama based on a true story, in which a reporter tries to prove that a man in
Prison for
Murder has been wrongly convicted.
James Stewart stars as the persistent journalist.
Richard Conte plays the imprisoned Frank Wiecek, a character based on
Joseph Majczek , who was wrongly convicted of the murder of a Chicago policeman in 1933.
This is the first film to be shot on location in
Chicago .
The film received mostly positive reviews when it was released, and again when the movie was released on DVD in 2004. A 2004 Onion AV Club Review
argued that the film may not be a true film noir, but is good none the less: ''"Outstanding location shooting and Stewart's driven performance turn a sober film into a vibrant, exciting one, even though the hero and the jailbird he champions are really too noble for noir."'' DVD Verdict wrote [http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/callnorthside777.php that the lead actor may be best reason to see the film: ''"Its value exists mainly in Stewart's finely drawn characterization of a cynical man with a nagging conscience."''
Screenwriter
Jay Dratler won an
Academy Award for writing.
Actress
Thelma Ritter has a small role in the film. Historians agree that her role in the film were cut before the film was released.
E.G. Marshall and
John McIntire also appear.
