''Boomerang!'' is a 1947 American

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...

semidocumentary film based on the true story of a vagrant accused of murder who is found not guilty through the efforts of the prosecutor. It stars

Dana Andrews Carver Dana Andrews (January 1, 1909 – December 17, 1992) was an American film actor who became a major star in what is now known as film noir. A leading man during the 1940s, he continued acting in less prestigious roles and character parts ...

, Lee J. Cobb,

Karl Malden Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American actor. He was primarily a character actor, who according to Robert Berkvist, "for more than 60 years brought an intelligent intensity and a homespun aut ...

, Arthur Kennedy and

Jane Wyatt Jane Waddington Wyatt ( ; August 12, 1910 – October 20, 2006) was an American actress. She starred in a number of Hollywood films, such as Frank Capra's ''Lost Horizon'', but is likely best known for her role as the housewife and mother Marga ...

, with voiceovers by

Reed Hadley Reed Hadley (born Reed Herring, June 25, 1911 – December 11, 1974) was an American film, television and radio actor. Early life Hadley was born in Petrolia, Texas, to Bert Herring, an oil well driller, and his wife Minnie. Hadley had on ...

. The film was directed by

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

and adapted from a 1945 ''

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his w ...

'' story written by

Fulton Oursler Charles Fulton Oursler (January 22, 1893 – May 24, 1952) was an American journalist, playwright, editor and writer. Writing as Anthony Abbot, he was an author of mysteries and detective fiction. His son was the journalist and author Will O ...

(credited as Anthony Abbot) based on an actual 1924 crime. The film was shot mostly in

Stamford, Connecticut Stamford () is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, outside of Manhattan. It is Connecticut's second-most populous city, behind Bridgeport. With a population of 135,470, Stamford passed Hartford and New Haven in population as of the 2 ...

, after Kazan was denied permission to film in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where the crime and trial occurred."'Boomerang!,' shot in Stamford, to be screened in Bridgeport", ''The Advocate'' of Stamford, Connecticut, October 13, 2009 The film was entered into the

1947 Cannes Film Festival The 2nd Cannes Film Festival was held from 12 to 25 September 1947. The new building that was meant to host the festival, the Palais du Festival, was still not ready, and the festival was held amid many technical and financial problems. In 1947, ...

Plot

Episcopal priest Father Lambert is shot dead on a Bridgeport, Connecticut street at night. The police, led by Chief Robinson, fail to immediately find the murderer. The case soon becomes a political hot potato, with the police accused of incompetence and the city's reform-minded administration attacked by the political machine that it had displaced. Robinson and prosecutor Henry Harvey face severe pressure by political leaders, the press and the public to find the killer or otherwise seek outside help. Strenuous local efforts yield nothing. However, vagrant military veteran John Waldron is arrested in Ohio and meets the general description of the murder suspect. He is extradited to Connecticut and identified in a

lineup Lineup, line up or line-up may refer to: Groupings * A queue area of waiting people * A police lineup, or identity parade, of suspects * The roster of a sports team at a given time ** Batting order (baseball) in baseball ** The starting position i ...

. Waldron is interrogated for two days by police until, suffering from severe

sleep deprivation Sleep deprivation, also known as sleep insufficiency or sleeplessness, is the condition of not having adequate duration and/or quality of sleep to support decent alertness, performance, and health. It can be either chronic or acute and may vary ...

, he confesses. A gun that was in his possession is believed to be that which was used in the shooting, and witness testimony and other circumstantial evidence seem solid enough to guarantee conviction. Harvey questions Waldron and investigates the evidence and the witnesses. He develops serious doubts about Waldron's guilt. In court, Harvey states that a prosecutor must seek justice, not merely attempt to convict. He presents the flaws in the case before the judge and indicates that he intends to dismiss the charges. Suspecting that Harvey's plea is driven by political motives, the judge warns him that he will hold his actions to the highest scrutiny. Chief Robinson thwarts a lynch mob trying to seize Waldron outside of the court building. Harvey is threatened by reform party kingpin and real estate swindler Paul Harris, who seeks to blackmail him based on Harvey's wife's innocent contribution to a community fund for park land that Harris secretly owns. Harvey threatens to physically remove Harris from his home. At a preliminary hearing, Harvey presents detailed evidence that would lead to Waldron's exoneration. Meanwhile, a reporter conducts his own investigation into possible wrongdoing. In court, the reporter secretly threatens to reveal Harris' double dealing, and Harris commits suicide in the courtroom. Waldron is exonerated and the narrator explains that the murder was never solved and that the character of Henry Harvey had represented Homer Cummings, who rose from state prosecutor to become the

United States attorney general The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...

Cast

as State's Attorney Henry L. Harvey *

as Madge Harvey * Lee J. Cobb as Chief Harold F. "Robby" Robinson * Cara Williams as Irene Nelson (waitress at Coney Island Cafe) * Arthur Kennedy as John Waldron (murder suspect) *

Sam Levene Sam Levene (born Scholem Lewin; August 28, 1905 – December 28, 1980) was a Russian Empire-born American Broadway theatre, Broadway, film, radio, and television actor and Television director, director. In a career spanning over five decades, ...

as Dave Woods (reporter, ''Morning Record'') * Taylor Holmes as T. M. Wade (''Morning Record'' publisher) * Robert Keith as "Mac" McCreery *

Ed Begley Edward James Begley Sr. (March 25, 1901 – April 28, 1970) was an American actor of theatre, radio, film, and television. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film '' Sweet Bird of Youth'' (1962) an ...

as Paul Harris *

as Det. Lt. White * William Challee as Stone, Harvey's assistant * Lewis Leverett as Whitney, Harvey's assistant *

Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are ''All My Sons'' (1947), ''Death of a Salesman'' (19 ...

as a suspect in the police lineup (uncredited) * Wyrley Birch as Father Lambert (uncredited) * Philip Coolidge as Jim Crossman (uncredited)

Background

Factual basis

The film is based on an actual 1924 murder case that occurred in Bridgeport, Connecticut. While walking near the Lyric Theatre in downtown Bridgeport, the Rev. Hubert Dahme (Father George Lambert in the film) was fatally shot behind the left ear by a gun fired at close range. Those in the theater were so shocked that none thought to call for an ambulance until ten minutes had passed. Two hours later, the priest was pronounced dead at St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport. Harold Israel, a vagrant and discharged soldier, was indicted for the murder. Israel confessed to the crime, and a .32 revolver was found in his possession that police believed had been used in the murder. Fairfield County state's attorney Homer Cummings conducted a thorough investigation and cleared Israel of the crime. Cummings (Henry Harvey in the film) later became

under Franklin D. Roosevelt. The ''Morning Record'' was the name used in the film for the ''Bridgeport Post'' (now the ''

Connecticut Post The ''Connecticut Post'' is a daily newspaper located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It serves Fairfield County and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. Municipalities in the Post's circulation area include Ansonia, Bridgeport, Darien, Derby, Easton ...

'').

Filming locations

Almost all of the film was shot in

except for the courtroom scene shot in the Westchester County Superior Court in

White Plains, New York (Always Faithful) , image_seal = WhitePlainsSeal.png , seal_link = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = State , subdivision_name1 = , subdivisi ...

.Russell, Don, "'Roles' in movies are nothing new for city: Kazan used Stamford in the '40s", editorial page column in ''

The Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. The Advocate, The Advocates or Advocate may also refer to: Magazines * ''The Advocate'' (LGBT magazine), an LGBT magazine based in the United States *''The Harvard Advocate'', a literary magazin ...

'', Stamford edition, page A10, April 25, 2007 Stamford locations: * The South End of Stamford, particularly at Saint Luke's Chapel. * Old Town Hall, particularly the police-department offices and the stairway leading to the courtroom. * The Altschul home on Den Road (for a meeting of leading citizens). * The front and sidewalk of the Plaza Theatre, which stood on Greyrock Place (where a driveway leading into the Stamford Town Center mall now stands). * The former offices of ''

'', the Stamford daily newspaper, on Atlantic Street. Some members of the ''Advocates editorial staff were used in the scene in which news breaks that the killer has been caught. The film premiered at the Palace Theatre in Stamford on March 5, 1947, with Kazan and Andrews in attendance. Kazan later directed the 1947 Oscar-winning '' Gentleman's Agreement'', also starring Jane Wyatt, which takes place in nearby Darien, Connecticut and was partly filmed in the area.

Legal

In the film, the police interrogation of John Waldron continues after Waldron exercises his right to counsel by requesting a lawyer. This practice would later be ruled unconstitutional by the

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

in the 1981 landmark case of ''

Edwards v. Arizona ''Edwards v. Arizona'', 451 U.S. 477 (1981), is a decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that once a defendant invokes his Fifth Amendment right to counsel, police must cease custodial interrogation. Re-interrogation is only permissib ...

''.

Reception

Critical response

In a contemporary review for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', critic

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

discussed the filmmaking, writing that the "style of presentation has resulted in a drama of rare clarity and punch". '' Variety'' published a positive review, writing: "''Boomerang!'' is gripping, real-life melodrama, told in semi-documentary style. Lensing was done on location at Stamford, Conn, the locale adding to realism. Based on a still unsolved murder case in Bridgeport, Conn, plot is backed up with strong cast ... All the leads have the stamp of authenticities. The dialog and situations further the factual technique. Lee J. Cobb shows up strongly as chief detective, harassed by press and politicians alike while trying to carry out his duties. Arthur Kennedy is great as the law's suspect."

Awards and honors

Wins * National Board of Review: NBR Award, Best Director, Elia Kazan; 1947. * New York Film Critics Circle Awards: NYFCC Award Best Director, Elia Kazan; 1947. Nominations *

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

: Oscar, Best Writing, Screenplay, Richard Murphy; 1947. The film is recognized by

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...

in these lists: * 2001: AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills – Nominated

Adaptations

''Boomerang!'' was dramatized as a half-hour radio play on the November 10, 1947 broadcast of '' The Screen Guild Theater'' with Dana Andrews and Jane Wyatt, on the January 14, 1949 broadcast of the Ford Theatre with Andrews and on ''Hollywood Sound Stage'' with

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James (193 ...

and Wyatt on February 28, 1952.The Screen Guild Programs
web site. Last accessed: February 19, 2011.

References

External links

* * * *
''Boomerang!''
at DVD Beaver (includes images) * {{Elia Kazan 1947 films 1947 crime films American black-and-white films American docudrama films Films about miscarriage of justice 1940s English-language films Film noir Films directed by Elia Kazan Films scored by David Buttolph Films set in Connecticut Films shot in Connecticut American films based on actual events 20th Century Fox films American crime films 1940s American films