Chicago Confidential

{{Short description|1957 film by Sidney Salkow}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = Chicago Confidential | image = Chicago Confidential film poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Sidney Salkow]] | producer = [[Robert E. Kent]] | screenplay = [[Bernard Gordon (writer)|Bernard Gordon]]<br>(originally as Raymond T. Marcus) | based_on = {{based on|the novel ''Chicago: Confidential!''|[[Jack Lait]]<br/>[[Lee Mortimer]]}} | starring = [[Brian Keith]]<br>[[Beverly Garland]]<br>[[Dick Foran]] | music = [[Emil Newman]] | cinematography = [[Kenneth Peach]] | editing = [[Grant Whytock]] | color_process = [[Black and white]] | studio = Peerless Productions | distributor = [[United Artists]] | released = {{Film date|1957|08|30}} | runtime = 73 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = }} '''''Chicago Confidential''''' is a 1957 American [[crime film|crime]] [[film noir]] directed by [[Sidney Salkow]] and starring [[Brian Keith]], [[Beverly Garland]] and [[Dick Foran]]. It is based on the 1950 book ''Chicago: Confidential!'' by [[Jack Lait]] and [[Lee Mortimer]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131022221029/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/17064/Chicago-Confidential/articles.html Article on film] by Rob Nixon at ''Turner Classic Movies'' accessed 2013-10-22</ref>

''Chicago Confidential'' was the first film produced for Edward Small by [[Robert E. Kent]], who had been a writer and story supervisor at Columbia. Small and Kent went on to make many movies together.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Warners Buys No. 1 Seller, 'Nun's Story'; Satire Will Be Staged|author=Scheuer, Philip K.|work=Los Angeles Times|date=Nov 1, 1956|page=C15}}</ref>

==Plot== A union official named Blane is framed for the murder of another union official. The crime syndicate actually responsible for the killing is free to continue its activities. District Attorney Jim Fremont's plan to run for governor can be helped by a conviction of Blane, but thanks to Blane's fiancée Laura Barton he begins to suspect that Blane has been set up, launching a new investigation.

Laura testifies in court that Blane was with her at the time of the murder, and a neighbor, Sylvia Clarkson, swears she heard Blane's voice coming from Laura's apartment. Jim discovers a tape recording that suggests Clarkson might have been fooled, but Laura convinces him otherwise. Clarkson turns out to be conspiring with the criminals.

Racketeers, led by Ken Harrison, knock Jim cold and take Laura hostage. Harrison intends to flee by airplane. Jim and his men surround the plane at the air strip and a gun battle ensues, Harrison is shot. Jim's political future is now set, while Blane is released so that he can marry Laura.

==Cast== * [[Brian Keith]] as District Attorney Jim Fremont * [[Beverly Garland]] as Laura Barton * [[Dick Foran]] as Arthur "Artie" Blane * [[Douglas Kennedy (actor)|Douglas Kennedy]] as Ken Harrison * [[Paul Langton]] as Police Capt. Jake Parker * [[Elisha Cook, Jr.]] as Candymouth Duggan * [[Gavin Gordon (actor)|Gavin Gordon]] as Alan Dixon * [[Beverly Tyler]] as Sylvia Clarkson * Buddy Lewis as Kerry Jordan * [[Anthony George]] as Duncan

==See also== * [[Confidential (magazine)]] * [[List of American films of 1957]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{AFI film|id=52130|title=Chicago Confidential}} * {{IMDb title|id=0050249|title=Chicago Confidential}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120530224335/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/17064/Chicago-Confidential/ Chicago Confidential] — [[TCMDb]]

[[Category:1957 films]] [[Category:Film noir]] [[Category:1957 crime drama films]] [[Category:American crime drama films]] [[Category:American black-and-white films]] [[Category:1957 English-language films]] [[Category:Films about the labor movement]] [[Category:Films based on American novels]] [[Category:Films directed by Sidney Salkow]] [[Category:Films produced by Edward Small]] [[Category:Films scored by Emil Newman]] [[Category:Films set in Chicago]] [[Category:Films shot in Chicago]] [[Category:United Artists films]] [[Category:1957 American films]] [[Category:English-language crime drama films]]