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No Way Out

Play trailer Poster for No Way Out 1950 1h 46m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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85% Tomatometer 13 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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No Way Out

Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker Mar 28, 2022
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. Go to Full Review Eric Henderson Slant Magazine Mar 9, 2006
2.5/4
No Way Out borrows the template for socially conscious filmmaking from both Gentlemen's Agreement and Crossfire: it's half noir, half sermon. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills Mar 28, 2022
It’s an effective suspense drama that’s also one of the best treatments of race relations of its era, not preachy or pandering. Go to Full Review Nell Dodson Russell Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Jan 14, 2022
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. Go to Full Review Jesse H. Walker New York Age Sep 7, 2021
Darryl F. Zanuck is to be congratulated for his intentions in making such a movie although his methods do leave something to be desired. Go to Full Review Gertrude Gipson California Eagle Oct 30, 2019
I could not write any further in this review without citing the splendid and breath-taking dramatic work of Sidney Poitier. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Eli H @EliHendricks Sep 30, 2026 Radical for the time, but not essential viewing in 2026. It's views on race were revolutionary for the time and its depiction of a black protagonist is groundbreaking, See more Steve D @RT35616104 Jun 28, 2023 Powerful important and beautifully acted. See more Dec 8, 2020 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. See more Thomas M @TMProofreader Feb 2, 2019 The best thrilling movie ever made! See more Oct 2, 2018 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. See more May 9, 2018 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) See more Read all reviews
No Way Out

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Cast & Crew

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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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No Way Out

No Way Out (1950) No Way Out (1950) View more photos

Movie Info

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
Screenwriter
Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Lesser Samuels
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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