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A chilling film noir about the murder of a priest, the subsequent arrest and trial of a jobless drifter, and the efforts of a young state's attorney to uncover the truth. Closely based on the actual 1924 murder (still unsolved) of Fr. Hubert Dahme in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the film was directed by the young Elia Kazan in a highly effective, semi-documentary style. Kazan shot most of the film on location, using high-contrast cinematography and an extremely mobile camera to create a palpable sense of urgency. Producer Louis de Rochemont had earlier been responsible for the "March of Time" newsreel series, as well as the naturalistic features THE HOUSE ON 92ND STREET and 13 RUE MADELEINE.