

The big national crime syndicate has moved into town, partnering up with local crime boss Nick Scanlon. McQuigg, the only honest police captain on the force, and his loyal patrolman, Johnson, take on the violent Nick.
Acting
Robert Ryan's volcanic Nick Scanlon steals every frame.
Direction
Cromwell's reshoots saved a studio-mangled noir classic.
Production
Howard Hughes meddled so much, two directors quit.

Director
John Cromwell
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Nicholas Ray and Tay Garnett both directed uncredited reshoots after Hughes fired Cromwell, making this a three-director Frankenstein.
Released right after the Kefauver Committee hearings made mob corruption daily news — the tagline literally references real Senate investigations.