Nicholas Ray's direction stresses the realism of the script taken from Willard Motley's novel of the same title, and gives the film a hard, taut pace that compels complete attention.

A pretentiously 'social' melodrama which came to the Astor yesterday.

I's hard hitting in its own right, tautly crafted, and repeatedly stabbed through with Ray's impulsive generosity and anguish towards his characters.

A suspense-packed movie that packs an audience wallop.