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The Verdict

The Verdict

Crime · Mystery · 1946

After an innocent man is executed in a case he was responsible for, a Scotland Yard superintendent finds himself investigating the murder of his key witness.

Movie details

The Verdict

1946 Crime · Mystery 1h 26m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

After an innocent man is executed in a case he was responsible for, a Scotland Yard superintendent finds himself investigating the murder of his key witness.

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 The Verdict?

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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Shadow of the Thin Man

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Limbo

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Travis, a jaded detective, arrives in the remote outback town of Limbo to investigate the cold case murder of local Indigenous girl Charlotte Hayes 20 years ago. As truths about the murder begin to unfold, the detective gains a new insight into the unsolved case.

Marlowe

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Woman on the Run

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Frank Johnson, a sole witness to a gangland murder, goes into hiding and is trailed by Police Inspector Ferris, on the theory that Frank is trying to escape from possible retaliation. Frank's wife, Eleanor, suspects he is actually running away from their unsuccessful marriage. Aided by a newspaperman, Danny Leggett, Eleanor sets out to locate her husband. The killer is also looking for him, and keeps close tabs on Eleanor.

Shadow of a Doubt

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The Red House

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Cry of the City

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Don Siegel

Written by

Peter Milne

Sydney Greenstreet

Sydney Greenstreet

Supt. George Edward Grodman

Peter Lorre

Peter Lorre

Victor Emmric

Joan Lorring

Joan Lorring

Lottie Rawson

George Coulouris

George Coulouris

Supt. John R. Buckley

Rosalind Ivan

Rosalind Ivan

Mrs. Vicky Benson

Paul Cavanagh

Paul Cavanagh

Clive Russell

Arthur Shields

Arthur Shields

Rev. Holbrook

Court is in session

Put The Verdict on trial.

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

The defence The Cool Ironist

“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.