No Way Out

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No Way Out

Released Aug 16, 1950

1h 46m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

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14 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Robbers Ray Biddle (Richard Widmark) and his brother are shot and taken to the local hospital. There, the two are treated by Dr. Brooks (Sidney Poitier), the hospital's only black doctor. The brothers assault Brooks with racist slurs. And, when his brother ends up dying on the operating table, Ray accuses the doctor of murdering him. Blind with rage, Ray works to turn the white community of the city against Brooks, who finds an unlikely ally in the dead man's widow, Edie (Linda Darnell).

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Richard Brody

New Yorker

The film is politically daring in its mere depiction of a Black protagonist—and in its view of a poor white man’s resentment of what he calls the preferential treatment of Black people.

Mar 28, 2022

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Eric Henderson

Slant Magazine

No Way Out borrows the template for socially conscious filmmaking from both Gentlemen's Agreement and Crossfire: it's half noir, half sermon.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 9, 2006

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

It’s an effective suspense drama that’s also one of the best treatments of race relations of its era, not preachy or pandering.

Mar 28, 2022

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Nell Dodson Russell

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

If you like your movies grim, you'll certainly enjoy this one. Personally, I don't think I want to see another "problem" film for a long while.

Jan 14, 2022

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Jesse H. Walker

New York Age

Darryl F. Zanuck is to be congratulated for his intentions in making such a movie although his methods do leave something to be desired.

Sep 7, 2021

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Gertrude Gipson

California Eagle

I could not write any further in this review without citing the splendid and breath-taking dramatic work of Sidney Poitier.

Oct 30, 2019

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Steve D

Powerful important and beautifully acted.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/28/23

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Audience Member

Ground breaking film for its time as it bravely details the challenges a black man has to overcome even when he's accomplished much. The great irony of the movie is that despite the good intentions of the filmmakers, the studio still underpaid the movie's black performers and even bypassed putting the names of several African-American performers like the great Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Audience Member

The best thrilling movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

A menacing noir/thriller which takes many risks, unless they weren't back in that day, but also seems to be innovative for its time considering the subject matter and the amount of black actors in a high profile film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

Dare I admit...came across this film on MOVIES station. I approve of critical acclaim. Though due to scheduling i didn't see ending! Oh no! Gonna have to re-view of look up plot description somewhere. Excellent acting by all. (And had no problems with B/W (as I watch lots of shows from mid-fifties, westerns mostly, in B/W)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

I had wanted to watch this film for years, glad I finally did as it's quite good. Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier(in his screen debut) star in this racially charged noir film from 1950. It also features early performances from legendary couple Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. This one is highly recommended!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

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Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Director

Richard Widmark

Ray Biddle

Linda Darnell

Edie Johnson

Sidney Poitier

Dr. Luther Brooks

Stephen McNally

Dr. Dan Wharton

Mildred Joanne Smith

Cora Brooks

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Synopsis

Robbers Ray Biddle (Richard Widmark) and his brother are shot and taken to the local hospital. There, the two are treated by Dr. Brooks (Sidney Poitier), the hospital's only black doctor. The brothers assault Brooks with racist slurs. And, when his brother ends up dying on the operating table, Ray accuses the doctor of murdering him. Blind with rage, Ray works to turn the white community of the city against Brooks, who finds an unlikely ally in the dead man's widow, Edie (Linda Darnell).

Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Producer: Darryl F Zanuck
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 16, 1950, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 46m

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