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The Phenix City Story

  • 1955
  • Approved
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
3.7K
YOUR RATING
The Phenix City Story (1955)
A crime-busting lawyer and his initially reluctant attorney father take on the forces that run gambling and prostitution in their small Southern town.
Play trailer1:10
1 Video
24 Photos
DocudramaFilm NoirTrue CrimeCrimeDrama

An Alabama crusader's son tries to clean up sin city. A crime-busting lawyer and his father take on the corrupt forces that run a small Southern town.An Alabama crusader's son tries to clean up sin city. A crime-busting lawyer and his father take on the corrupt forces that run a small Southern town.An Alabama crusader's son tries to clean up sin city. A crime-busting lawyer and his father take on the corrupt forces that run a small Southern town.

  • Director
    • Phil Karlson
  • Writers
    • Crane Wilbur
    • Daniel Mainwaring
  • Stars
    • John McIntire
    • Richard Kiley
    • Kathryn Grant
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    3.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Phil Karlson
    • Writers
      • Crane Wilbur
      • Daniel Mainwaring
    • Stars
      • John McIntire
      • Richard Kiley
      • Kathryn Grant
    • 61User reviews
    • 39Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:10
    Official Trailer

    Photos24

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    + 16
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    Top Cast33

    John McIntire
    John McIntire
    • Albert L. 'Pat' Patterson
    Richard Kiley
    Richard Kiley
    • John Patterson
    Kathryn Grant
    Kathryn Grant
    • Ellie Rhodes
    Edward Andrews
    Edward Andrews
    • Rhett Tanner
    Lenka Peterson
    Lenka Peterson
    • Mary Jo Patterson
    Biff McGuire
    Biff McGuire
    • Fred Gage
    Truman Smith
    • Ed Gage
    Jean Carson
    Jean Carson
    • Cassie
    Kathy Marlowe
    • Mamie
    • (as Katharine Marlowe)
    John Larch
    John Larch
    • Clem Wilson
    Allen Nourse
    • Jeb Bassett
    James Edwards
    James Edwards
    • Zeke Ward
    Helen Martin
    Helen Martin
    • Helen Ward
    Otto Hulett
    Otto Hulett
    • Hugh Bentley
    George Mitchell
    George Mitchell
    • Hugh Britton
    Ma Beachie
    • Ma Beachie
    James E. Seymour
    • James E. Seymour
    Clete Roberts
    Clete Roberts
    • Clete Roberts
    • Director
      • Phil Karlson
    • Writers
      • Crane Wilbur
      • Daniel Mainwaring
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews61

    7.23.7K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'The Phenix City Story' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Related interests

    Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network (2010)
    Docudrama
    Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep (1946)
    Film Noir
    Lee Norris and Ciara Moriarty in Zodiac (2007)
    True Crime
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      In the film, John Patterson (Richard Kiley) is depicted as supportive of African-American Zeke Ward (James Edwards) and his family. In real life, following his term as Alabama attorney general (1954-58), Patterson ran for governor in 1958 in an openly racist campaign and won. One of his opponents, George Wallace, had run as a racial moderate and told his friends after the election, "John Patterson out-niggered me, and I'm never gonna be out-niggered again." Four years later, in 1962, Wallace won the governorship of Alabama as an avowed segregationist.
    • Goofs
      A moving shadow of the boom microphone can be seen on the wall above the promotion poster after the fight in the alley scene.
    • Quotes
      • Albert L. Patterson: Rhett, I'm not stickin' my neck out. Why should I? Phenix City has been what it is for 80, 90 years. Who am I to try to reform it?
    • Alternate versions
      The initial release version ran 87 minutes, but soon after, a 13-minute "newsreel" preface was added and an epilogue, read by Richard Kiley. The real John Patterson used this film as campaign too when he ran for Governor of Alabama (beating the young George Wallace). Patterson filmed the same epilogue as Kiley, and Patterson's version was used when the film played in Alabama.
    • Connections
      Featured in Moviedrome: The Phenix City Story (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Phenix City Blues
      Music and Lyrics by Harold Spina
      Sung by Meg Myles

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    Details

    • Release date
      • July 19, 1955 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Eine Stadt geht durch die Hölle
    • Filming locations
      • Phenix City, Alabama, USA
    • Production company
      • Bischoff-Diamond Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 40m(100 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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