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A Lion Is in the Streets

Play trailer Poster for A Lion Is in the Streets Released Sep 23, 1953 1h 28m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 25% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Tension boils over in a rural Southern community when the tough, idealistic Hank Martin (James Cagney) backs a group of sharecroppers against their corrupt boss, Robert Castleberry (Larry Keating), who has been taking advantage of them. The two sides come to blows, and one of Martin's friends, Jeb (John McIntire), is arrested for murder and must stand trial. Meanwhile, a gangster, Guy Polli (Onslow Stevens), sees the hunger in Martin and makes it possible for him to rise in politics.
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A Lion Is in the Streets

Critics Reviews

View All (6) Critics Reviews
Richard Brody The New Yorker The movie offers, amid its hectic and rowdy melodrama, a constant and underlying vision of the crucial power of government to serve the public good-and the ease with which that power can, almost invisibly, be shifted... Oct 8, 2020 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy With its central character a boorish politician who convinces the riffraff to pick up arms in an attempt to overthrow U.S. democracy, no one can accuse this of not maintaining a sliver of contemporary currency. Beyond that, there’s not much to recommend. Rated: 2/4 May 13, 2023 Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine James Cagney exhibits much of his old-time bantam force and magnetism in a story about a cottonstate fascist. But the movie compares weakly with All the King's Men, which it resembles. Dec 2, 2019 Full Review Alberto Abuín Espinof A film with a great cast where the absolute star of the show, never better said, is James Cagney. [Full review in Spanish] Feb 7, 2017 Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television Uneven but often powerful look at poor people in revolt. Jun 26, 2011 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Pure Hollywood balderdash. Rated: B- Feb 16, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (4) audience reviews
Blobbo X Beautifully restored. Blobbo wonder how RT figures an audience rating of 10% based on 3 reviews. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/01/23 Full Review Audience Member Cagney is magnetic as always but the script is wanting. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member ok late carrer cagney Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member all star cast makes this one go Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
A Lion Is in the Streets

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Movie Info

Synopsis Tension boils over in a rural Southern community when the tough, idealistic Hank Martin (James Cagney) backs a group of sharecroppers against their corrupt boss, Robert Castleberry (Larry Keating), who has been taking advantage of them. The two sides come to blows, and one of Martin's friends, Jeb (John McIntire), is arrested for murder and must stand trial. Meanwhile, a gangster, Guy Polli (Onslow Stevens), sees the hunger in Martin and makes it possible for him to rise in politics.
Director
Raoul Walsh
Producer
William Cagney
Screenwriter
Luther Davis
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
William Cagney Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 23, 1953, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 22, 2009
Runtime
1h 28m
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