"A police detective's violent nature keeps him from being a good cop."
Dana Andrews
as Det. Sgt. Mark Dixon
Gene Tierney
as Morgan Taylor
Bert Freed
as Det. Sgt. Paul Klein
Gary Merrill
as Tommy Scalise
Karl Malden
as Det. Lt. Thomas
Tom Tully
as Jiggs Taylor
Ruth Donnelly
as Martha
Craig Stevens
as Ken Paine
Fred Aldrich
as Detective at Staff Meeting (uncredited)
Tom Coleman
Chuck Hamilton
Ian MacDonald
as Detective Casey (uncredited)
John McGuire
as Detective Gertessen (uncredited)
Clarence Straight
as Detective (uncredited)
Robert B. Williams
Phil Tully
as Det. Ted Benson, 16th Precinct (uncredited)
Don Appell
as Willie Bender (uncredited)
Tony Barr
as Hoodlum (uncredited)
John Daheim
as Scalise Hoodlum (uncredited)
Neville Brand
as Steve, Scalise Hood (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton
as Joe, Scalise Hood (uncredited)
Lou Nova
as Ernie, Scalise Hood (uncredited)
Eddie Borden
as Pool Hall Patron (uncredited)
Harry 'Snub' Pollard
Barry Brooks
as Thug (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks
as Railroad Baggage Clerk (uncredited)
Oleg Cassini
as Oleg the Fashion Designer (uncredited)
John Close
as Hanson (uncredited)
Clancy Cooper
as Police Desk Sergeant Murphy (uncredited)
Charles Tannen
as Police Radio Dispatcher #79 (voice) (uncredited)
Ray Spiker
as Policeman (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing
as Man at Dice Table / Passerby (uncredited)
Bert Stevens
as Passerby (uncredited)
Bob Evans
as Sweatshirt (uncredited)
Robert Foulk
as Fenney (uncredited)
Joseph Granby
as Fat Man (uncredited)
Kathleen Hughes
as Secretary (uncredited)
Lou Krugman
as Mike Williams (uncredited)
Louise Lorimer
as Mrs. Jackson (uncredited)
Eda Reiss Merin
as Mrs. Shirley Klein (uncredited)
Grayce Mills
as Mrs. Tribaum, Paine's Landlady (uncredited)
Harry von Zell
as Mr. Morrison (uncredited)
David McMahon
as Harrington (uncredited)
Peggy O'Connor
as Model (uncredited)
Shirley Tegge
Robert Patten
as Medical Examiner (uncredited)
Stephen Roberts
as Gilruth (uncredited)
Lester Sharpe
as Friedman, Morgan's Employer (uncredited)
Robert F. Simon
as Insp. Nicholas Foley (uncredited)
Larry Thompson
as Riley (uncredited)
Chili Williams
as Teddy (uncredited)
Mack Williams
as Jerry Morris, Attorney (uncredited)
Anthony George
David Bauer
as Sid Kramer
Charles Flynn
as Policeman Schwartz (uncredited)
Otto Preminger
Director
Ben Hecht
Screenplay
Lyle R. Wheeler
Art Direction
Ben Nye
Makeup Artist
Producer
Frank P. Rosenberg
Associate Producer
Victor Trivas
Adaptation
Robert E. Kent
Cyril J. Mockridge
Original Music Composer
Joseph LaShelle
Director of Photography
Louis R. Loeffler
Editor
J. Russell Spencer
Thomas Little
Set Decoration
Walter M. Scott
Costume Design
Marie Walter
Hairstylist
Sam Wurtzel
Production Manager
Henry Weinberger
Assistant Director
Alfred Bruzlin
Sound
Harry M. Leonard
Fred Sersen
Visual Effects
Don Anderson
Camera Operator
Lionel Newman
Music Director
Edward B. Powell
Orchestrator
Maurice De Packh
Kathleen Fagan
Script Supervisor
William L. Stuart
Novel
Charles LeMaire
Wardrobe Supervisor
