He Walked by Night
1948 · Movie · NR · 79 min · ★ 6.7 · 81% critics
A burglar with unusual knowledge stays one step ahead by listening in to radio police calls, even as a cop-killing sparks a tense citywide manhunt. With clues slow to surface, detectives pursue a suspect who seems to anticipate every move.
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Details
- Years
- 1948
- Release date
- 1949-02-06
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 79 min
- Max quality
- SD
- Critic score
- 81/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.7/10 (104 votes)
About
Not for you if you dislike noir with heavy narration and slow investigative stretches, or if you need bright, upbeat energy; it fits fans of tight B-noir like The Web (1947) and Crime Wave (1953).
Pros: tense noir mood; eerie lighting; storm drain finale | Cons: narration can drag; some bland characters; pacing uneven
Themes
- police
- cop-killer
- film noir
- man hunt
- los angeles, california
- murder investigation
- lapd
- dragnet
- storm drain
- police procedural
Cast & crew
Richard Basehart
as Roy Martin / Roy Morgan
Scott Brady
as Police Sgt. Marty Brennan
Roy Roberts
as Police Captain Breen
Whit Bissell
as Paul Reeves
James Cardwell
as Police Sgt. Chuck Jones
Jack Webb
as Lee Whitey
Reed Hadley
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Frank Cady
as Pete Hammond
Dorothy Adams
as Milk Customer
Jane Adams
as Nurse Scanion (uncredited)
Directed by Alfred L. Werker