The Turning Point
 Theatrical release poster | ||
| Starring | William Holden Edmond O'Brien Alexis Smith | |
| Directed by | William Dieterle | |
| Produced by | Irving Asher | |
| Editing by | George Tomasini | |
| Studio | Paramount Pictures | |
| Cinematography | Lionel Lindon | |
| Distributed by | [[Paramount Pictures]] | |
| Released | Nov 14th, 1952 New York City | |
| Runtime | 85 minutes | |
| Country | United States | |
| language | English | |
The Turning Point is a 1952 film noir crime film directed by William Dieterle and starring William Holden, Edmond O'Brien and Alexis Smith. It was inspired by the Kefauver Committee's hearings dealing with organized crime.
Plot
John Conroy (Edmond O'Brien) is a Special Prosecutor, given extraordinary powers to break up the crime syndicate in a large midwestern town; his investigation will focus on Neil Eichelberger and his criminal operation. A local journalist, Jerry McKibbon (William Holden), is sympathetic to this but feels Conroy isn't experienced enough to handle the task. Jerry's friendship for John is tested by the question of what to do about Matt, and by his attraction to John's girl Amanda (Alexis Smith). Matt Conroy (Tom Tully), John Conroy's father, is a local policeman and is assigned to be his chief investigator. McKibbon discovers that Matt Conroy is a crooked cop, working for Eichelberger, so he demands that he break with the mobster or he'll inform John Conroy of the duplicity. To vindicate himself, it is decided that Matt Conroy will procure a damning file from the D.A.'s office that Eichelberger has requested, but he'll copy it first. Even before this double-cross is exposed, Eichelberger decides to have Matt Conroy murdered in order to instill fear in his operation and show that Eichelberger is in control of the situation, since John Conroy's investigation is more serious than expected. Matt Conroy is killed during a phony robbery, and his assassin, Monty LaRue, is immediately killed in turn. John Conroy's investigation is systematically uncovering Eichelberger's crimes, and in anticipation of having their books subpoenaed, Eichelberger has the building housing them burned. He has a callous disregard for the people renting there, and all are killed. An expose of Matt Conroy's murder reveals that Eichelberger had LaRue killed also. His widow Carmelina LaRue can prove this, and contacts McKibbon in order to exact revenge, but is chased away by Eichelberger's henchmen. Since McKibbon is the only one that can identify Carmelina LaRue, her husband's murderer Roy Ackerman demands that McKibbon be killed, but Eichelberger refuses. Ackerman hires a hitman himself, and McKibbon is lured to a boxing match where he can be shot. Meanwhile, Carmelina manages to reach John Conroy and her testimony is sufficient, along with already acquired information, to topple Eichelberger. The hired gun shoots McKibbon, and as he lies dying, Eichelberger and his crew are arrested. McKibbon dies before John Conroy can arrive. John Conroy's epitaph for McKibbon is something McKibbon himself has previously said: "Sometimes someone has to pay an exorbitant price to uphold the majesty of the law."
Cast
- William Holden as Jerry McKibbon
- Edmond O'Brien as John Conroy
- Alexis Smith as Amanda Waycross
- Tom Tully as Matt Conroy
- Ed Begley as Neil Eichelberger
- Danny Dayton as Roy Ackerman
- Adele Longmire as Carmelina LaRue
- Ray Teal as Clint, Police Captain
- Ted de Corsia as Harrigan
- Don Porter as Joe Silbray
- Howard Freeman as Fogel
- Neville Brand as Red
- Carolyn Jones (uncredited) as Miss Lilian Smith
Production
Several locations of historical interest in Downtown Los Angeles can be seen in this film. The original Angel's Flight funicular railway is part of one scene. The Hotel Belmont can also be seen. Neither of these landmarks remains. Other buildings that can be seen are the San Fernando Building in the Bank District, Olympic Auditorium (at 18th and Grand), and a Metropolitan Water District building at 3rd and Broadway.
Actress Carolyn Jones made her motion picture debut in the film as Miss Lillian Smith. Her role was patterned after Miss Victoria Hill's testimony at the Kefauver Committee.
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