''Miami Exposé'' is a 1956 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

directed by

Fred F. Sears Frederick Francis Sears (July 7, 1913 – November 30, 1957) was an American film actor and director. Biography Sears, formerly based in Boston as a dramatic director and instructor, was hired as a dialogue director by Columbia Pictures i ...

and starring

Lee J. Cobb Lee J. Cobb (born Leo Jacoby; December 8, 1911February 11, 1976) was an American actor, known both for film roles and his work on the Broadway stage. He often played arrogant, intimidating and abrasive characters, but he also acted as respectabl ...

, Patricia Medina and Edward Arnold. The film marked the last performance of Arnold, who was fatally stricken during the production. Also in the film is a brief appearance by boxing great Jake "The Raging Bull" LaMotta, playing a thug during the Everglades chase scene.

Plot

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

police lieutenant Bart Scott informs his captain of his plans to retire. His fiancée, Ann Easton, a widow whose husband was killed in the line of duty, refuses to marry Bart until he quits the force. The captain is murdered by a gunman who also is found dead. The gunman's wife, Lila Hodges, witnesses the crime. She becomes of grave concern to many in Miami with criminal ties, including attorney Raymond Sheridan, who is offering lobbyist Oliver Tubbs a million-dollar bribe to get Miami gambling legalized, and gangster Louis Ascot, who offers Lila sanctuary and takes her to

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

. Scott manages to get to Lila and persuade her to return to Miami to testify. When she expresses reluctance to do so, he parades her in public, where thugs attempt to kill her. Convinced that she has to help, Lila is taken to Scott's home in the

Everglades The Everglades is a natural region of tropical climate, tropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The system begins near Orland ...

to remain in hiding until the trial, but when Ascot comes after her, Lila and Ann end up armed and trying to hold off the gunmen until Scott can arrive with reinforcements. Sheridan, meanwhile, after double-crossing Tubbs, is killed by him.

Cast

as Lt. Barton 'Bart' Scott * Patricia Medina as Lila Hodges * Edward Arnold as Oliver Tubbs *

Michael Granger Michael Granger (May 14, 1923 – October 22, 1981) was an American actor. Born Milton Grossman in Kansas City, MO, Granger, he appeared in ''The Big Heat'' and in B movies such as '' Creature With The Atom Brain'', as well as on TV shows includi ...

as Louis Ascot * Eleanore Tanin as Ann Easton *

Alan Napier Alan William Napier-Clavering (7 January 1903 – 8 August 1988), better known as Alan Napier, was an English actor. After a decade in West End theatre, he had a long film career in Britain and later, in Hollywood. Napier is best remembered for ...

as Raymond Sheridan *

Harry Lauter Herman Arthur "Harry" Lauter (June 19, 1914 – October 30, 1990) was an American character actor. Early years Lauter was born in White Plains, New York. He worked as a model for a professional photographer and was a rodeo rider before m ...

as Det. Tim Grogan * Chris Alcaide as Morrie Pell *

Hugh Sanders Hugh Howard Sanders (March 13, 1911 – January 9, 1966) was an American actor, probably best known for playing the role of Dr. Reynolds in the movie ''To Kill a Mockingbird''. Biography Born in Illinois, Sanders graduated from Northwestern U ...

as Chief Charles Landon * Barry L. Connors as Stevie Easton

References

External links

* * * *
Review of film
at Variety 1956 films 1956 crime films American crime films American black-and-white films Films set in Miami Columbia Pictures films Films directed by Fred F. Sears 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-crime-film-stub