It had an unusual triple premiere held on july 19, 1955 in phenix city, alabama, columbus, georgia and chicago, illinois nb. Declaration of martial law in russell county, alabama. The phenix city story john pattersons speech duration. A june 1955 memo in the file indicates that after shooting on the phenix city story was completed, the pca requested a number of cuts before it could be approved. A crimebusting lawyer and his initially reluctant attorney father take on the forces that run gambling and prostitution in their small southern town. Although the picture received an mpaa certificate on july 20, 1955, many of the details to which the pca objected, such as the childs murder and men standing in line at a brothel. Reviews, interviews and features from the international film magazine. Watch the phenix city story online 1955 movie yidio. The phenix city story is a 1955 ripped from the headlines film noir about the 1954 assassination of albert patterson in phenix city, alabama.
In 1955, it won the allamerica city award from the national municipal league. Meet the cast and learn more about the stars of the phenix city story with exclusive news, pictures, videos and more at. The troops involved were under the command of major general walter j hanna. Tcm saturday matinee the phenix city story intro sonofaspaceape. This clip is to augment an educational essay on the film at. The phenix city story movie tv listings and schedule tv.
Rhett tanner, the head of the city s organized crime syndicate, deals. A crimebusting lawyer and his initially reluctant attorney father take. Quick off the mark to license alcohol after the lifting of. The phenix city story 1955 dvd john mcintire richard kiley film noir phil karlson. The film was directed by phil karlson and stars john mcintire as al patterson and richard kiley as his son john. Alberts son john patterson richard kiley is joining the firm after his army tour in germany. Based on a true story, but departing from the truth in some places, the phenix city story tells of phenix city, alabama, where gambling and organized crime run the city. Patterson has big plans for his son john and his family when they return home after his military service in germany. And it is with the phenix city story that phil karlson provides us. Benning army base where gambling, prostitution, and any number of other vices were tolerated openly by the law, most of it centered on the main downtown drag, 14th street, thanks to the 50year influence of organized crime.
The bordertown was the subject of an acclaimed film, the phenix city story, made in 1955. Directed by 1 writing credits 2 cast 33 produced by 3 music by 1 cinematography by 1 film editing by 1 casting by 1 art direction by 1 makeup department 2 production management 1 second unit director or assistant director 1. Original versions of phenix city story feature a minute preface that. That is, until john patterson returned from serving overseas in germany during the war. The phenix city story phil karlson, 1955 destructible man. Phenix city, alabama and the story of the phenix city story. A partly fictionalized account of the incident appeared in the 1955 allied artists movie the phenix city story.
Tcm saturday matinee the phenix city story outro duration. Phil karlson the phenix city story, berthas confession. The biggest problem i had with the phenix city story was the opening 15 minutes of manonthestreet interview footage with the actual people who lived through the story. The phenix city story directed by phil karlson written by daniel mainwaring and crane wilbur u. The phenix city story is a brutal, hardhitting docudrama about what was once dubbed the wickedest town in america. A group of national guardsmen receiving news of their deactivation outside the city hall and police headquarters in phenix city, early 1955. The younger patterson richard kiley arrives in uniform, returning from germany. The film, which takes a number of liberties with the actual events and characters, opened on july 19, 1955, with simultaneous premieres in phenix city, columbus, georgia, and chicago, illinois. In the early 1950s, phenix city, alabama is known as sin city, u. Phil karlsons docudrama based on the notorious phenix city a city known for its gambling, crime and prostitution rackets. Said to have been based on a true story of citizens fighting against a tradition of vice and corruption, the phenix city story tells its story effectively and at some points gruesomely you see. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The phenix city story is a 1955 american film noir crime film directed by phil karlson for allied artists, written by daniel mainwaring and crane wilbur and starring john mcintire, richard kiley and kathryn grant. Benning, georgia so soldiers were always crossing the bridge to gamble and find women.
Bentley 19091984 is known for launching a cleanup drive to get rid of crime and corruption in phenix city, alabama, in the early 1950s. The first book written about the phenix city story. Pinup girl and later soap opera actress meg myles as judy is plenty plausible as a draw for the patrons of the poppy club, who came largely from fort benning, in georgia performing phenix city blues by harold spina in director phil karlsons the phenix city story. The phenix city story is a crime film based on the assassination of alabama politician and attorney albert patterson in june 1954 in phenix city, russell county. Benning army base where gambling, prostitution, and any number of other vices were tolerated openly by the law, most of it centered on the main downtown drag, 14th street, thanks to the 50year influence of.
Phenix city alabama all american city 1955 duration. Clete roberts reports the news about phenix city and its criminal syndicate. Based on the true story of phenix city, alabama, the film chronicles the men who stood up to 100 years of organized crime in an effort to clean up their town. One of the most violent and realistic crime films of the 1950s, the phenix city story pulses with the bracing energy of actual life captured on the screen in its establishing shots and key scenes, and punctuates that background with explosively filmed action scenes. Phenix city story, the 1955 movie clip phenix city blues airing. The tragedy and the triumph of phenix city, alabama by margaret ann barnes chronicles these events, which led the small town to be known as sin city, usa. Nothing to do with phoenix, arizona this phenix city is in eastern alabama, on the state border, and virtually a suburb of columbus, georgia, which is just across the chattahoochee river long before frank miller took the name for the setting of his dark yarns, phenix had earned the dubious title of sin city, usa. Based on a true story, this film noir, is shot in a gritty style that exposes the seedy underbelly of southern crime in the phenix city story 1955. Based on actual events, the phenix city story tells the tale of a wideopen sin city in alabama across a bridge from columbus, ga, and just a stones throw from the ft. Based on a true story and featuring some of the actually people involved, this grim, violent crime drama is set in the title alabama city that was in 1954 a modernday sodom and gomorrah of. This is the brutal dummydeath sequence from phil karlsons masterful film noir, the phenix city story 1955. John mcintire, richard kiley, kathryn grant, et al. Richard kiley stars in this gripping crime drama about a crusading lawyer who takes on the corrupt machine running a southern town, based on actual events.
Similar to many 1950s crimemessage movies, the phenix city story distinguishes itself with a raw and unflinching look at violence that was uncommon for the era. Usa 2 september 1955 new york city, new york japan 14 october 1955. When the patience of the majority runs thin, when their. With john mcintire, richard kiley, kathryn grant, edward andrews. Hedges 1 cinematic memory and the southern imaginary. The phenix city story is a 1955 english film stars john mcintire, phil karlson, daniel mainwaring, crane wilbur, samuel bischoff, david diamond, harry sukman, harry neumann, george white, richard kiley, kathryn crosby, edward andrews, lenka peterson, biff mcguire, truman smith, jean carson, kathy marlowe, john larch, allen nourse, james edwards, helen. The phenix city story is a 1955 american film noir crime film directed by phil karlson for allied artists, written by daniel mainwaring and crane wilbur and. The phenix city story 1955 directed by phil karlson. Introduced by witnesses to the true story dramatized, a city of gambling and vice run by smalltown gangsters is challenged by a father and son who are lawyers and by some conscientious citizens. The phenix city story allied artists, 1955, and crisis in the deep. Phenix city is one of the most corrupt cities in the u. Director phil karlson showed just how good he was at merging welltold screen drama with vivid verisimilitude, and leaving no. The phenix city story the 1955 movie, trailers, videos and more at yidio.
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