On C List of Movie Reviews

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Call Northside 777 (1948)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 2/08

2/08: Call Northside 777 is another great one in James Stewart's oeuvre.

There's no doubt that the more films I see, the more I feel James Stewart may have solidified himself as the best actor ever. It's nice to see Lee J. Cobb lend a supporting hand. Richard Conte also stars.

I like the story, and there's a human element to it. Henry Hathaway's direction is sleek and fresh. An interesting trivia is the man who administered the lie detector test is the very inventor himself: Leonard Keeler. You can't do better than that.

However, I can't label Call Northside 777 a true film noir. One drawback is it hangs by the thread. When I say this, the momentum dissipates every time P.J. McNeal runs into a dead end. Of course, luck finds him, and then things pick up again.

All in all, Call Northside 777 is an entertaining whodunnit mystery thriller.

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