Directed by the same guy (director Henry Hathaway) who did The House on 92nd Street, it has more of a typical film noir movie feel to it. Starring Victor Mature (who I like best for his role in the biblical epic The Robe ) and co-starring Coleen Gray, who I never heard of till I saw this movie. But she's so adorable, you can't help falling in love with her.
Victor Mature portrays Nick Bianco, a repeat criminal who is imprisoned in the opening scene for an armed jewelry store heist, and initially won't "squeal" on others in his gang and is willing to serve his full sentence in jail. But news of the suicide of his wife makes him change his ways and cooperate with the district attorney, released from jail to hang out with a dangerous sadistic mobster named Tommy Udo (played by Richard Widmark) and Bianco gathers information on Udo to prosecute and imprison him. Not only is this Richard Widmark's film debut role, but if you read the Wikipedia listing for the movie, Widmark based his portrayal of mobster Tommy Udo on The Joker, that he read in Bill Finger and Bob Kane BATMAN stories of that era.
This film likewise in the credits says that all the prisons, courthouses and other places portrayed were filmed in the actual places portrayed.
Coleen Gray has the additional interesting aspect that she for many years in her personal life visited prisons and helped inmates get a second start and live better lives on their release from prison. So a remarkable person, who admirably used her celebrity to do good in the world.
