Scene of the Crime

Van Johnson cracks heads and cases in this hardboiled crime thriller co-starring Gloria DeHaven and Arlene Dahl, directed by Roy Rowland (The Girl Hunters) and written by Oscar®-winner* Charles Schnee (They Live by Night).

Assigned to investigate the murder of a plainclothes detective outside a bookie joint, homicide lieutenant Mike Conovan (Johnson) must also prove the cop was not on the take after $1,000 is found in his pocket. Following a slim set of clues, Conovan is beaten, shot and double-crossed as he sets out to catch a killer and clear the detective’s name.

A departure from MGM’s usual glamor and glitz, Scene of the Crime was part of production head Dore Schary’s effort to provide post-war audiences with grittier, more realistic entertainment. The film succeeded on all counts, returning a handsome profit to the studio and earning an Edgar® nomination from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Motion Picture.