Detective Story Reviews

Kirk Douglas gives one of his best performances in this seminal cop film, directed by William Wyler. The plot is thin, but the drama is fleshed out with interesting characters. Chief among these is Jim McLeod (Douglas), a hardboiled, dedicated, by-the-book detective proud of his untarnished record in a one-man war against crime. Douglas is tough on all the lawbreakers he drags in to police headquarters, particularly an unscrupulous doctor (Macready), whom he beats up in a police van before delivering him to the lock-up. Lieutenant Monahan (MacMahon) becomes suspicious of McLeod's brutal treatment of the crooked physician, investigates further, and finds out that the abortionist has a surprising link to the detective. Douglas is intense and electrifying as the altruistic yet narrow-minded Jim McLeod. Like DEAD END the source material for the film is a Sidney Kingsley morality play. Once again director Wyler deftly handles this potentially stagey material. And, as in DEAD END, one of the film's most outstanding features is an impressive set. This stark creation by Hal Pereira and Earl Hedrick is comprised of little more than floorboards, desks, unaccommodating tables, and ancient file cabinets. It suggests a precinct office with no frills or comforts, physical or spiritual. Though confined to this one set, ace cinematographer Lee Garmes provides fluid camera movement as our eye is smoothly directed from one character to another. DETECTIVE STORY is methodical in its depiction of the sometimes traumatic events of one day in a precinct but the marvelous quirks and shadings of these characters create highly exciting drama.