Featured Audience Ratings

• Anthony L

  
  Panic in the Streets is a beautifully shot noir that is the Grandfather of all epidemic movies. It influenced Invasion of the Body Snatchers and many films of that ilk, Alien films, espionage films, it influenced Outbreak and more recently the rather brilliant Contagion. Its… More
  Panic in the Streets is a beautifully shot noir that is the Grandfather of all epidemic movies. It influenced Invasion of the Body Snatchers and many films of that ilk, Alien films, espionage films, it influenced Outbreak and more recently the rather brilliant Contagion. Its influence is huge. It's still probably the best though, filmed back before modern technology got in the way of telling a good story. The performances are wonderful with a great cast including Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes, Jack Palance and Zero Mostel. All are brilliant, it would be unfair to single out one of their performances because they're all great, I guess Jack Palance is probably the most memorable not just because of how chilling it was but because it was his film debut. The script is awesome though, it's very real, never over the top or sentimental. Honestly, I was pretty blown away, I loved it. Why am I only discovering Elia Kazan now!?

• familiar s

  
  Not panic enough to entertain.

• AJ V

  
  With such a great cast this could have been an great classic, but the movie has it's boring slow scenes, other than that I liked it. The story is exciting and the actors do their best.

• Stella D

  
  a medical thriller where widmark gets to play the hero for a change. he's a public health doctor racing the clock to prevent an outbreak of plague in new orleans. jack palance is a very effective villain in his film debut. good suspense

• Randy T

  
  When a dead man is fished out of the harbor with two bullet holes and a case of pneumonic plague the police pull out all the stops to find the killer before he spreads the disease. High stakes drama with an outstanding cast.

• Ken S

  
  Elia Kazan crafts another film on the edges of Noir that acts as a thematic cousin to On the Waterfront. In this cross between Outbreak and A buddy cop film, the continuously fantastic Richard Wydmark desperately tries to find the man who shot an immigrant infected with mnemonic… More
  Elia Kazan crafts another film on the edges of Noir that acts as a thematic cousin to On the Waterfront. In this cross between Outbreak and A buddy cop film, the continuously fantastic Richard Wydmark desperately tries to find the man who shot an immigrant infected with mnemonic plague. Jack Palance has the most textured face of any person on the planet. Good lord.

• Adam M

  
  germophobes will find lots of horrifying holes in the plot, but it's a noir by Kazan & fun; camera moves fast but not too slick; Douglas & Palance are its surprise greatness

• Michael G

  
  Jack Palance is insane in this movie. A lot of fun.

• Mike T

  
  A tense, inventive thriller that brings new ideas to the film noir genre. The picture benefits from Kazan's trademark realism, shot on location in a documentary-esque style. The director's unique style of guiding actors is beneficial too; every player is convincing and… More
  A tense, inventive thriller that brings new ideas to the film noir genre. The picture benefits from Kazan's trademark realism, shot on location in a documentary-esque style. The director's unique style of guiding actors is beneficial too; every player is convincing and highly effective. It's a tough, expertly crafted movie that leaves the audience satisfied.

• Doctor S

  
  Government health official Widmark has 48 hours to motivate a sluggish New Orleans police squad whilst in pursuit of a couple thugs once a plague-stricken foreigner is discovered shot dead at the pier. Elia Kazan stages his scenes wonderfully and gives a glimpse of the hard lives… More
  Government health official Widmark has 48 hours to motivate a sluggish New Orleans police squad whilst in pursuit of a couple thugs once a plague-stricken foreigner is discovered shot dead at the pier. Elia Kazan stages his scenes wonderfully and gives a glimpse of the hard lives spent on the docks four years before 'On The Waterfront.' Widmark is very curt and demanding with everyone he deals with, however this negative character trait is neatly explored in a conversation with his wife during a short break in the manhunt. Jack Palance looms menacingly in another meaty bad guy role.

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