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The Glass Wall

Play trailer Poster for The Glass Wall 1953 1h 22m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 3 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Peter (Vittorio Gassman) is a refugee who wants to make a better life for himself in America, but he doesn't have the proper papers. Desperate for entry, he jumps ship and flees to New York City to search for a World War II veteran whom he helped during the war. If he can find this veteran (Jerry Paris), he believes it can help prove his case that he deserves American citizenship. But if he can't find him within 24 hours, he'll be branded a fugitive and forever barred from reentry into America.

Critics Reviews

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Robert Daniels RogerEbert.com 08/24/2024
Maxwell Shane’s “The Glass Wall” is a vexing tale that puts America’s broken immigration system under the spotlight. Go to Full Review
Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine 11/14/2019
Spectacular photography in and atop New York's United Nations building is the most rewarding feature of this hectic pursuit drama. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 01/26/2011
B
Gritty immigration picture. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Martin B Sep 8 I love non formula noir movies and this was one in spades. Perfect roll for Gloria Graham and she delivered. Might not have been cinematic magic and the bit at the United Nations over the top but all in all very satisfying. See more acsdoug D @acsdoug 06/29/2024 This is the first movie I've seen with Vittorio Gassman and he is an excellent actor. The story felt pretty contrived though. See more 06/07/2023 Excellent noir, great on location filming in NYC, especially subway shots, it has Gloria Graham, nuff said, very unrated, definitely entertaining and enjoyable with ??? Not going to spoil the ending See more 02/01/2022 The movie immediately pulls you in with the main character, as the underdog, whom you continually root for as he flees from the police. Along the way he makes some bad choices which end up complicating his quest to remain free. Then when things start to look more favorable for him, the screen writer chose to drag out the chase scene by having police officers running after him, the same officers he feared from the start. The only 2 people our main character trusts were running behind the officers out of his sight, and not once did they ever call out to him to relieve him of his fears. They chase him all the way to the top of a skyscraper where he perches on the ledge preparing to jump. This was the worst ending to any movie I've ever watched in 66 years. See more 04/13/2020 I loved it. Gassman - looking very much like a young Monty Clift - is superb and if you like nothing else, the authentic location shooting of it in 1953 NYC will keep any true noir fan VERY happy! See more deke p 12/02/2019 Never heard of this movie before. Kinda interesting. Chases around early 1950s NYC. About illegal immigrant from Hungary. I didn't know who GLORIA GRAHAME was (older than my father). And I barely knew VITTORIO GASSMAN. Saw this movie on late nite TV, 12.1.19. See more Read all reviews
The Glass Wall

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Movie Info

Synopsis Peter (Vittorio Gassman) is a refugee who wants to make a better life for himself in America, but he doesn't have the proper papers. Desperate for entry, he jumps ship and flees to New York City to search for a World War II veteran whom he helped during the war. If he can find this veteran (Jerry Paris), he believes it can help prove his case that he deserves American citizenship. But if he can't find him within 24 hours, he'll be branded a fugitive and forever barred from reentry into America.
Director
Maxwell Shane
Producer
Ivan Tors
Screenwriter
Ivan Tors, Maxwell Shane
Production Co
Columbia Pictures
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Feb 9, 2010
Runtime
1h 22m