No Way Out
1950 · Movie · NR · 106 min · ★ 6.9 · 81% critics
Two brothers arrive at a hospital after a robbery goes wrong, and one injured man dies while being treated by a Black doctor. The surviving brother blames the doctor for murder, escalating tension between communities and drawing others into the fallout.
Where to watch
Rent from $3.99 or buy from $9.99.
2 hours to watch.
Rent
Streaming availability and prices may be inaccurate or change — verify with the provider before subscribing.
unSUB's subscription recommendations are informational only, not financial advice.
More value for your money
Similar titles, ranked by watch-hours per subscription dollar.
Details
- Years
- 1950
- Release date
- 1950-08-16
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Critic score
- 81/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.9/10 (106 votes)
About
You’ll like No Way Out if you want a hard-hitting, tense race drama that sparked discussion in 1950; Not for you if offensive racist language and difficult themes will be hard to watch, or if you prefer softer, more “feel-good” titles like In the Heat of the Night or The Defiant Ones.
Pros: bold race drama; strong lead performances; tense hospital setting | Cons: offensive racist language; volatile escalation; some plot unevenness
Themes
- race riot
- film noir
- hospital
- racism
- doctor
- black doctor
Awards & recognition
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 1951 · nominated
Cast & crew
Richard Widmark
as Ray Biddle
Linda Darnell
as Edie Johnson
Sidney Poitier
as Luther Brooks
Stephen McNally
as Dan Wharton
Mildred Joanne Smith
as Cora Brooks
Harry Bellaver
as George Biddle
Stanley Ridges
as Sam Moreland
Dots Johnson
as Lefty Jones
Robert Adler
as Louie (uncredited)
Ernest Anderson
as School Teacher (uncredited)
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz