Directed by:
Elia KazanScreenplay:
Richard MurphyCinematography:
Joseph MacDonaldComposer:
Alfred NewmanCast:
Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes, Jack Palance, Zero Mostel, Tommy Cook, Elia Kazan, Tommy Rettig, Emile Meyer, Dan Riss, Alexis Minotis (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
When a body is found in the New Orleans docks, it's pretty obvious that he died from gun shot wounds. The police surgeon notices that the man is also displaying other symptoms and Lt. Commander Clint Reed, a doctor with the U.S. Public Health Service, diagnoses a highly contagious disease, pneumonic plague. He tries to convince local officials to find everyone who may have been in contact with the dead man. The Mayor supports his efforts but many, including the police, are doubtful. Reed wants to avoid publicity so as not to panic the public. They have little information to go on - they don't know the dead man's identity - and Reed estimates they have 48 hours before disease begins to spread. With police Capt. Tom Warren going through the motions, Reed sets out to find the killers. (Signal One Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (1)
Panic in the Streets is a decent thriller in which time is of crucial importance and everyone screams at everyone else –
even the one who doesn’t yet know what a disaster he has at his door. Jack Palance’s bad guy attracts more attention
than the main character, a doctor fulfilling family ideals. Palance’s twisted gangster is a clever allegory of the pursuit of
gold, which actually means unsuspectedly getting closer to a deadly plague. The occasional witty dialogue works well to
lighten up the dark atmosphere of the film.
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