Knock on Any Door (1949)

70% of critics liked it
(10 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(374 ratings)

Though Humphrey Bogart is the official star of Knock on Any Door, the film is essentially a showcase for Columbia's newest young male discovery John Derek. The first production of Bogart's Santana company, the film casts Bogart as attorney Andrew Morton. A product of the slums, Morton is persuaded… More Though Humphrey Bogart is the official star of Knock on Any Door, the film is essentially a showcase for Columbia's newest young male discovery John Derek. The first production of Bogart's Santana company, the film casts Bogart as attorney Andrew Morton. A product of the slums, Morton is persuaded to take the case of underprivileged teenager Nick Romano (Derek), who has been arrested on a murder charge. Through flashbacks, Morton demonstrates that Romano is more a victim of society than a natural-born killer. Though this defense strategy does not have the desired result on the jury thanks to the badgering of DA Kernan (George Macready), Morton does manage to arouse sympathy for the plight of those trapped by birth and circumstance in a dead-end existence. As Nick Romano, John Derek would never be better, nor would ever again play a character who struck so responsive a chord with the audience. Nick's oft-repeated credo--"Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse"--became the clarion call for a generation of disenfranchised youth. Director Nicholas Ray would later expand on themes touched upon in Knock on a Any Door in his juvenile delinquent "chef d'oeuvre" Rebel without a Cause. Viewers are advised to watch for future TV personalities Cara Williams and Si Melton in uncredited minor roles. Knock on Any Door spawned a belated sequel in 1960, Let No Man Write My Epitaph. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Nicholas Ray
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Feb 22, 1949 Wide

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Nicholas Ray's direction stresses the realism of the script taken from Willard Motley's novel of the same title, and gives the film a hard, taut pace that compels complete attention.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
A pretentiously 'social' melodrama which came to the Astor yesterday.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Nicholas Ray wrestles with his social consciousness and loses in this drab 1949 drama.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The courtroom perorations are drab, but Nicholas Ray takes off in the fervid slums
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
This hard-hitting crime melodrama offers excellent direction from the always interesting Nicholas Ray and a fine performance from Bogart.
, Time Out
I's hard hitting in its own right, tautly crafted, and repeatedly stabbed through with Ray's impulsive generosity and anguish towards his characters.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Though Ray's film has a strong sense of social and moral outrage, the narrative doesn't bear out the simplistic conclusions arrived at.
, Film4
The excitement and tension is built up nicely, and although it touches on the melodramatic at times, remains crisp and sharp throughout.

Read all 8 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A strange, silly, sloppy, boring movie that shouldn't have starred Bogart, he's worthy of a much better script.
Lanning :

Adele Morton: If I were as cynical as you, I'd hang myself.<p>Andrew Morton: If you were as cynical as me? I wouldn't even trust the rope.<p>Another Bogart movie I've never seen. God bless Ted Turner and TCM. I swear, TCM must be the greatest TV station… More
Adele Morton: If I were as cynical as you, I'd hang myself.<p>Andrew Morton: If you were as cynical as me? I wouldn't even trust the rope.<p>Another Bogart movie I've never seen. God bless Ted Turner and TCM. I swear, TCM must be the greatest TV station of all time. As I've said before, I've never met a Bogart movie I didn't like. This one is no exception. He plays a "good guy" in this one, and he's brilliant either way. Nobody can deliver a line like Bogart, and no one can deliver a moralizing speech like the one at the end of this film like Bogart. In a lesser actor's hands, you might be tempted to laugh, but Bogart makes the lessoning stick like crazy glue and stand like the Rock of Gibraltar. Perhaps the best male actor of all time.
Michael G

Nick Ray's direction shines when Knock on Any Door isn't wallowing in its own mediocrity, heavy-handed social commentary and dull performances. Bogart and Macready aside, of course. Bogart plays an attorney who tries to save John Derek (playing an Italian) from a murder rap.… More
Nick Ray's direction shines when Knock on Any Door isn't wallowing in its own mediocrity, heavy-handed social commentary and dull performances. Bogart and Macready aside, of course. Bogart plays an attorney who tries to save John Derek (playing an Italian) from a murder rap. The story follows Derek's character more than it showcases Bogart's. If you watch this movie you'll quickly understand why it's not a must-see Bogart movie. If you're looking for a much better pairing of Bogart and Ray you'll do well to watch In a Lonely Place.

Cast

            Humphrey Bogart as Andrew Morton

            John Derek as Nick Romano

            George Macready as District attorney Kerman

            Allene Roberts as Emma

            Susan Perry as Adele

            Mickey Knox as Vito

            Barry Kelley as Judge Drake

            Cara Williams as Nelly

            Jimmy Conlin as Kid Fingers

            Sid Melton as Squint

            Pepe Hern as Juan

            Dewey Martin as Butch

            Robert A. Davis as Sunshine

            Houseley Stevenson Sr. as Junior

            Vince Barnett as Bartender

            Florence Auer as Aunt Lena

            Pierre Watkin as Purcell

            Gordon Nelson as Corey

            Argentina Brunetti as Ma Romano

            Eddie Borden as Man

            George Chandler as Cashier

            Jack Clisby as Policeman

            Chester Conklin as Barber

            Curt Conway as Elkins

            Anne Cornwall
            
            Dudley Dickerson as Man

            Sidney Dubin as Jury Member

            Franklin Farnum as Man

            Al Ferguson as Guard

            Jo Gilbert as Gussie

            Sol (Saul) Gorss as Detective

            Frank S. Hagney as Suspect

            Chuck Hamilton as Bailiff

            Roberta Haynes as Woman

            Myron Healey as Assistant District Attorney

            George Hickman as Detective

            Al Hill as Detective

            John Indrisano as Man

            Donald Kerr as Court Clerk

            Jane Lee as Woman

            Frank Marlowe as Bailiff

            Eda Reiss Merin as Reporter

            John Mitchum as Jury Member

            Philip Morris as Detective

            Netta Packer as Jury Member

            Eddie Parker as Guard

            Lee Phelps as Policeman

            Franz Roehn as Jury Member

            Richard Sinatra as Julian Romano

            Charles Sullivan as Man

            Sid Tomack as Duke

            Dorothy Vernon as Woman

            Peter Virgo as Suspect

            Ralph Volkie as Bailiff

            Blackie Whiteford as Man

            Sumner Williams as Jimmy

            Dooley Wilson as Piano Player

            Harry Wilson as Man

            Jeff York as Man

            Frank Marlo as Bailiff

            Helen Mowery as Miss Holiday

            Jack Perry as Man

            Glenn Thompson
            
            Betty Hall as Jury Member

            Richard Bartell
            
            Paul Baxley as Policeman

            Hazel Boyne as Woman

            Carol Coombs as Ang Romano

            Joe Palma as Reporter

            Rose Plummer as Jury Member

            Ed Randolph
            
            Mabel Smaney as Jury Member

            Mary Emery as Jury Member

            Joe Brockman
            
            Charles Colean as Man

            Connie Conrad
            
            Joy Hallward as Jury Member

            Wesley Hopper as Boss

            Jack Jahries
            
            Ray Johnson as Man

            Beulah Parkington as Woman

            Tex Swan as Man

            Evelyn Underwood
            
            Homer Dickenson as Jury Member

            Gary Owen as Larry
See full cast