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The Phenix City Story

The Phenix City Story

1955Movie⏱️ 1h 40mApproved
CrimeDramaFilm-Noir
7.2
IMDB Rating
3,577 votes

An Alabama crusader's son tries to clean up sin city.

Director
Phil Karlson
Writers
Crane Wilbur, Daniel Mainwaring
Stars
John McIntire, Richard Kiley, Kathryn Grant
Release Date
July 19, 1955
Language
English
Country
United States
🏆 1
Wins
🎯 1
Nominations
💬 59
Reviews
📋 4.6K
Watchlists
📽️ View on IMDB

🎭 Top Cast

John McIntire
John McIntire
as Albert L. 'Pat' Patterson
Richard Kiley
Richard Kiley
as John Patterson
Kathryn Grant
Kathryn Grant
as Ellie Rhodes
Edward Andrews
Edward Andrews
as Rhett Tanner
Lenka Peterson
Lenka Peterson
as Mary Jo Patterson
Biff McGuire
Biff McGuire
as Fred Gage
👤
Truman Smith
as Ed Gage
Jean Carson
Jean Carson
as Cassie
👤
Kathy Marlowe
as Mamie
John Larch
John Larch
as Clem Wilson

🎬 Technical Specs

Aspect Ratio
1.85 : 1
Color
Black and White
Filming Location
Phenix City, Alabama, USA
Production
Bischoff-Diamond Corporation

🏷️ Keywords

national film registryorganized crimepolitical corruptionfort benning georgiafather son relationship

🎯 Categories

DocudramaFilm NoirTrue CrimeCrimeDrama

⭐ Featured Review

Mandatory Viewing
by scopitone2003-03-06

"Whether your a fan of Noir or not, The Phenix City Story remains superior filmaking on all levels regardless of it's budget and lack of special effects. While some may laugh at substituting a doll briefly for a dead child; it's follow up scene continues to have as much shocking impact today as it did upon it's release. To say this is textbook noir filmaking is too small as by all standards The Phenix City Story is the barometer by which crime, realism, fistfights and expose cinema is measured up to...."

💡 Did You Know?

In the film, John Patterson (Richard Kiley) is depicted as supportive of African-American Zeke Ward (James Edwards) and his family. In real life, following his term as Alabama attorney general (1954-58), Patterson ran for governor in 1958 in an openly racist campaign and won. One of his opponents, George Wallace, had run as a racial moderate and told his friends after the election, "John Patterson out-niggered me, and I'm never gonna be out-niggered again." Four years later, in 1962, Wallace won the governorship of Alabama as an avowed segregationist.

📖 Synopsis

An Alabama crusader's son tries to clean up sin city.