Boomerang!

Released Mar 5, 1947

1h 28m

Drama

List

76%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

64%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

Connecticut prosecutor Henry Harvey (Dana Andrews), faced with a political maelstrom in the wake of the shooting death of a Catholic priest on a city street corner, feels tremendous pressure to prosecute a vagrant ex-soldier whom Police Chief Robinson (Lee J. Cobb) apprehended in connection with the crime. After the vagrant confesses, it looks to be an open and shut case, but Harvey remains unconvinced and chooses to risk his career in order to discover the truth.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Gripping, real-life melodrama, told in semi-documentary style.

Nov 1, 2007

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

The unemphatic presentation of details, the use of locations, and strong performances from a largely non-professional supporting cast, lend the film authenticity and power.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Movie-makers should positively remember that a public story is a public trust.

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 25, 2006

Full Review

Nell Dodson Russell

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

This one, based on a real-life murder trial, keeps up a suspenseful pace for sixty minutes and then falls fiat on Its face. You'll go out of the theatre feeling as if somebody forgot to put the last two reels in the film can.

Dec 15, 2021

Full Review

Jack Moffitt

Esquire Magazine

The picture is a masterpiece of suspense. Dana Andrews gives another fine performance as the ethical prosecutor. Arthur Kennedy is excellent as the prisoner. Lee J. Cobb is splendid as an honest cop, and Sam Levene does outstanding work as a reporter.

Oct 7, 2020

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Fans of Kazan or star Dana Andrews will most likely appreciate Boomerang!, an otherwise middlebrow exploration of corruption in the criminal justice system.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 30, 2020

Full Review

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Steve D

Tells an interesting tale but does nothing to develop its characters.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Though the courtroom scene seems implausible the story is based off a true event about a prosecutor working to exonerate an accused killer at a pre-trial hearing. There's good acting here. Enjoy it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

kevin w

Elia Kazan directs this dark and cynical bit of cinematic propaganda from the noir alley with only a light touch of societal loathing. A popular priest in a small town gets popped...now what? Every maggot from the right side of town shows up to lay claim on the body - each for their own purposes, all sure to underline that theirs is the proper motive. Identifying the good from the bad becomes the exercise of the day. I don't care for Dana Andrews usually but in this instance he does quite well as the District Attorney. A "sit down and eat your vegetables!" kind of film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The best thrilling movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

s r

A good courtroom drama that stands up for due process against the tyranny of the mob.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

PS. The bit about the faulty firing pin was a bit of a a stretch. Unless the pin was completely missing or broken off, you'd be a fool to pull that stunt. Even then I'd not do it in case the hammer body shattered and fired the primer.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

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Elia Kazan

Director

Dana Andrews

State's Atty. Henry L. Harvey

Jane Wyatt

Madge Harvey

Lee J. Cobb

Chief Harold F. "Robbie" Robinson

Arthur Kennedy

John Waldron

Cara Williams

Irene Nelson

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Synopsis

Connecticut prosecutor Henry Harvey (Dana Andrews), faced with a political maelstrom in the wake of the shooting death of a Catholic priest on a city street corner, feels tremendous pressure to prosecute a vagrant ex-soldier whom Police Chief Robinson (Lee J. Cobb) apprehended in connection with the crime. After the vagrant confesses, it looks to be an open and shut case, but Harvey remains unconvinced and chooses to risk his career in order to discover the truth.

Director: Elia Kazan
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 5, 1947, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2012
Runtime: 1h 28m

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