"Detective Story" is a most enjoyable film that shows a day's work in a Police Precinct in New York. It has a main plot involving Detective Jim McLeod (Kirk Douglas) and several complementary situations that at the end sort of mix up in an exciting and tense finale. The picture could be classified as a "film noir" and is very good one in the genre.
McLeod is a tough cop always stuck to legal procedures who makes no difference between major criminals and common ones (murderers, thieves and shoplifters are all the same to him) and he shows no human feelings whatsoever towards them. When he turns in a corrupt doctor (George McReady) something in the past of his wife Mary (Eleanor Parker) comes to light with devastating consequences for the the man.
Director William Wyler achieves a perfect atmosphere in the precinct with a most adequate black and white photography and he sustains a good rhythm with no bumps that increases in tension as the picture runs.
The cast is a highlight too. Kirk Douglas, a raising star back then, renders a strong performance as the ruthless detective whose whole world explodes in a matter of hours. Eleanor Parker is also very good as his loving but tortured wife forced to reveal a secret she has kept for years. Horace McMahon, William Bendix, George McReady, Lee Grant andmainly Joseph Wisemann -as a completely insane hoodlum- credit a good and even cast that adds a lot to the film.
Very good entertainment with tension and excitement all along.
McLeod is a tough cop always stuck to legal procedures who makes no difference between major criminals and common ones (murderers, thieves and shoplifters are all the same to him) and he shows no human feelings whatsoever towards them. When he turns in a corrupt doctor (George McReady) something in the past of his wife Mary (Eleanor Parker) comes to light with devastating consequences for the the man.
Director William Wyler achieves a perfect atmosphere in the precinct with a most adequate black and white photography and he sustains a good rhythm with no bumps that increases in tension as the picture runs.
The cast is a highlight too. Kirk Douglas, a raising star back then, renders a strong performance as the ruthless detective whose whole world explodes in a matter of hours. Eleanor Parker is also very good as his loving but tortured wife forced to reveal a secret she has kept for years. Horace McMahon, William Bendix, George McReady, Lee Grant andmainly Joseph Wisemann -as a completely insane hoodlum- credit a good and even cast that adds a lot to the film.
Very good entertainment with tension and excitement all along.