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He Walked by Night

He Walked by Night

Thriller · Crime · 1949

Roy Martin aka Roy Morgan is a burglar and former war-time Radio & Electronics Engineer who listens in to radio police calls, allowing him to stay one step ahead of the cops.

Movie details

He Walked by Night

“Savage TRUTH! Stronger than Fiction!”

1949 Thriller · Crime 1h 19m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

Roy Martin aka Roy Morgan is a burglar and former war-time Radio & Electronics Engineer who listens in to radio police calls, allowing him to stay one step ahead of the cops.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over He Walked by Night?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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The Seven-Ups

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The Maltese Falcon

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The Enforcer

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Alfred L. Werker

Written by

Crane Wilbur · John C. Higgins

Richard Basehart

Richard Basehart

Roy Martin / Roy Morgan

Scott Brady

Scott Brady

Police Sgt. Marty Brennan

Roy Roberts

Roy Roberts

Police Captain Breen

Whit Bissell

Whit Bissell

Paul Reeves

James Cardwell

James Cardwell

Police Sgt. Chuck Jones

Jack Webb

Jack Webb

Lee Whitey

Reed Hadley

Reed Hadley

Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Court is in session

Put He Walked by Night on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.