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.
Martha Wilcox
Despite having a good cast, this fails to be a good film. There are some good performances from Victor Mature and Debra Paget, and the director really makes Mature look as though he can act. Paget gives a grounded performance, and Richard Conte is doing what he is known for. There is a big lady who attempts to strangle Conte in the film. I remember seeing her in 'Westward the Women'. It's good seeing Mature square up against Conte. It's almost like 'Kiss of Death' where Richard Widmark challenges Mature. However, it is everything in between these challenging scenes that make this film dull. The problem is with the script rather than the performances. An actor can only pursue truth if the script is truthful. If the script is not truthful then the film is just a calling card of truthful performances.
GManfred
Robert Siodmak never failed when it came to Film Noir ("Criss Cross", "Phantom Lady", etc) and doesn't disappoint here with "Cry Of The City", which is as tough and as gritty a noir as you will find. Tense and taut from beginning to finish, this picture has no dead spots and no 'down' time as Siodmak keeps the story moving at breakneck speed. The plot centers on two Hollywood second-stringers in Victor Mature and Richard Conte, who give excellent performances and put the story over in a convincing manner.Mature is the cop, Conte the hoodlum, who has murdered a cop and escapes from a hospital. Mature and his partner, Fred Clark, must find him before he leaves the country. Also in the cast are Berry Kroeger as a slimy lawyer, Shelley Winters as (what else?) a bimbo/ floozy and Hope Emerson as a 'contact' to help Conte in his getaway. Emerson was terrific, and her sinister presence makes you think she should have made more movies.They don't make 'em like this anymore, movies or directors. I thought Victor Mature was perfect as a straight cop with a sensitive side, better even than he was in "I Wake Up Screaming" or "Kiss Of Death". I would put this one right behind "Out Of The Past", which is my favorite of the noir genre.
christopher-underwood
Very fine noir. From beginning to end this character driven tale is very well told with some solid performances, dialogue and location shooting. Maybe this lacks a little 'action' but it is gripping and suspenseful in places nevertheless. Everyone is believable, even the kid, and that's a rarity. Richard Conte's performance as the truly ruthless bad guy is quite majestic and Victor Mature, as the ever on his heels good cop, does well to keep up, in both senses of the word. Even the smaller parts are great, including a lovely performance (which I understand was virtually all removed from the US release) from Shelley Winters. It is an almost nothing part and easily cut but she plays the moll so well, with a mixture of caring, humour and concern for her own safety. I was astonished that the several family scenes did not slip into sentimentality and even increased ones general concern for all concerned. Great street scenes, busy ones too and including shots of overhead railway. Really good, attention grabbing noir of the first order.
AD
