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Knock on Any Door

Knock on Any Door

Drama · Crime · 1949

An attorney defends a hoodlum of murder, using the oppressiveness of the slums to appeal to the court.

Movie details

Knock on Any Door

“It will shock you but it will hold you spellbound to the end!”

1949 Drama · Crime 1h 40m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

An attorney defends a hoodlum of murder, using the oppressiveness of the slums to appeal to the court.

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 Knock on Any Door?

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.

Cry of the City

Cry of the City

Crime · 1948

Petty crook and cop-killer Martin Rome, in bad shape from wounds in the hospital prison ward, still refuses to help slimy lawyer Niles clear his client by confessing to another crime. Police Lt. Candella must check Niles' allegation; a friend of the Rome family, he walks a tightrope between sentiment and cynicism. When Martin fears Candella will implicate his girlfriend Teena, he'll do anything to protect her. How many others will he drag down to disaster with him?

The Public Enemy

The Public Enemy

Crime · 1931

Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.

Just Mercy

Just Mercy

Drama · 2019

The powerful true story of Harvard-educated lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who goes to Alabama to defend the disenfranchised and wrongly condemned — including Walter McMillian, a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence. Bryan fights tirelessly for Walter with the system stacked against them.

Let Him Have It

Let Him Have It

Drama · 1991

In 1950s England, slow-witted Derek Bentley falls in with a group of petty criminals led by Chris Craig, a teenager with a fondness for American gangster films. Chris and Derek's friendship leads to their involvement in the true case which would forever shake England's belief in capital punishment.

Marlowe

Marlowe

Crime · 1969

Mysterious Orfamay Quest hires Los Angeles private investigator Philip Marlowe to find her missing brother. Though the job seems simple enough, it leads Marlowe into the underbelly of the city, turning up leads who are murdered with ice picks, exotic dancers, blackmailed television stars, and self-preserving gangsters. Soon, Marlowe's life is on the line right along with his case.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Crime · 1950

A police detective's violent nature keeps him from being a good cop.

I Confess

I Confess

Drama · 1953

When a priest hears a murderer’s confession, he becomes bound by his vow of silence—even as circumstantial evidence turns suspicion toward him. Torn between faith and self-preservation, he faces public scandal and trial for a crime he cannot reveal the truth about.

Kiss of Death

Kiss of Death

Crime · 1947

An ex-con trying to go straight must face a crazed criminal out for revenge.

The Rainmaker

The Rainmaker

Drama · 1997

Fresh out of law school and desperate for work, idealistic rookie Rudy Baylor takes on a powerful insurance company accused of denying a dying boy’s claim. Teaming up with a scrappy, unlicensed paralegal, he finds himself in a David-versus-Goliath courtroom battle that tests his ethics, courage, and belief in justice.

Michael Clayton

Michael Clayton

Drama · 2007

A law firm brings in its "fixer" to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multi-billion dollar class action suit.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Nicholas Ray

Written by

John Monks Jr. · Daniel Taradash

Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart

Andrew Morton

John Derek

John Derek

Nick Romano

George Macready

George Macready

Dist. Atty. Kerman

Allene Roberts

Allene Roberts

Emma

Candy Toxton

Candy Toxton

Adele Morton

Mickey Knox

Mickey Knox

Vito

Barry Kelley

Barry Kelley

Judge Drake

Court is in session

Put Knock on Any Door on trial.

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

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“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.