Scene of the Crime (1949)

Plot Summary

Van Johnson cracks heads and cases in this hardboiled crime thriller costarring 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 M-G-M'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. * Writing (Screenplay): The Bad and the Beautiful, 1952