This is an exceptional Jimmy Stewart film that has undeservedly been overlooked for decades. Much of this might be because Stewart made so many wonderful films this one just got lost, however it truly deserves to be remembered. However, if you are looking for a "Film Noir" movie, do not believe the dust jacket of the DVD that says it is. Sure, it is a film about a crime and Stewart is initially VERY cynical, but it also lacks the grittiness, interesting shading and camera angles and the wonderful gangster lingo normally found in Noir. However, this is NOT to say this is a bad film--it's wonderful and nearly merits a rating of 9.

The film is the true story about the murder of a cop and the subsequent incarceration of two men who were, in fact, innocent. In many ways, it's like a traditional drama and a documentary combined. Because of the excellent writing, pacing and acting, the film is a standout picture and will please both lovers of Noir AND the ordinary viewer.

By the way, the reason I scored the film an 8 instead of 9 all was due to the movie having a hole in the plot. Richard Conte's character was only one of the two innocent men imprisoned for the crime. The other man was also innocent but his disposition was never discussed and the film really left me wondering what happened to him--did he remain in prison or live happily ever after?! To find out, see the IMDb trivia for this movie.

A generally interesting look at the criminal justice system, perhaps a little overlong and slightly dated by modern standards, but with plenty to say for itself. The story is of a ten-year old murder and the man, Richard Conte, sitting in a jail cell for the crime; Jimmy Stewart's journalist is tasked with investigating and after a time begins to suspect that Conte may in fact be innocent. It's a slow-paced affair, well acted by the likes of Lee J. Cobb, although Stewart isn't quite as charismatic as he's been elsewhere.

Call Northside 777 has James Stewart patiently trying to nail down enough facts to get Richard Conte a pardon from a murder for which he was falsely convicted. The tale is told in the documentary style that Henry Hathaway developed post World War II and that Darryl F. Zanuck used in several 20th Century Fox films.

On orders from editor Lee J. Cobb, Stewart checks out the source behind a small personal advertisement in the Chicago Sun-Times where he works. The ad is placed by Richard Conte's mother who works as a cleaning woman and saved enough money to offer a reward of $5000.00 for information clearing her son.

Back during the last days of Prohibition, Conte and another man were sent up for killing a Chicago policeman in a grocery store that fronted for a speakeasy. Conte was convicted mainly on the eyewitness testimony of the owner of the establishment Betty Garde.

Stewart gradually comes to believe in Conte's innocence and works tirelessly on his behalf. The best single performance in this film is by Betty Garde. A real portrait in evil that one is.

This has always been a film I've had an identity with. I had a similar situation in my former job with NYS Crime Victims Board. I had a case where a man sustained multiple injuries including the loss of a leg when a car drove up on a sidewalk and hit him. The report was never written up as any kind of crime, just an accident. The driver was given a summons and that was that.

I did a lot of work to prove the police were wrong in their action and it took two years, but I gathered enough evidence and my claimant was declared a crime victim and received the benefits from my former agency. The perpetrator was never charged with anything, but that was not in my mandate. Nevertheless I know exactly what Jimmy Stewart had to prove and how hard it is. The police even more than most of us do not like to admit they are wrong.

Call Northside 777 is a nicely done documentary style feature which is a great lesson in what a man with determination can accomplish.