The Turning Point [This is Dynamite!] *** (1952, William Holden, Alexis Smith, Edmond O’Brien)  – Classic Movie Review 13,504

Paramount Pictures’ 1952 black and white American film noir crime exposé film The Turning Point stars William Holden, Alexis Smith, and Edmond O’Brien.

‘Today’s most sensational story of racket-busting !’

Director William Dieterle’s 1952 Paramount Pictures black and white American film noir crime exposé film The Turning Point [This is Dynamite!] is written by Warren Duff, based on a story by Horace McCoy, and stars William Holden, Alexis Smith, and Edmond O’Brien. It is inspired by the Kefauver Committee’s hearings on organised crime.

Crusading attorney and special prosecutor John Conroy (Edmond O’Brien), his assistant Amanda Waycross (Alexis Smith) and hard-nosed local reporter Jerry McKibbon (William Holden) try to break the crooks and uncover police corruption and corrupt officials in a large midwestern town, in this standard, but extra-well written drama. It is further lifted by the snappy performances from a reliable cast and acute, careful direction by the veteran William Dieterle.

The cliched situations and stock characters give it a well-worn look, but, even so, some fertile fresh ground is trodden here. The plot complications are that Conroy’s police detective father Matt (Tom Tully) has been on the take, and that Conroy buddy McKibbon are both in love with Amanda.

The ideally cast star trio are excellent, giving unusually compelling performances, but the film is stolen from under their noses by Ed Begley’s impressive portrait in villainy as the wicked lorry-firm/ truck company boss, racketeering kingpin Neil Eichelberger. There is a tremendous character actor cast. Tom Tully, Ray Teal as Police Captain Clint, Danny Dayton, as Eamon Harrigan, Adele Longmire as Carmelina LaRue, Ted de Corsia as Eamon Harrigan, Don Porter as Joe Silbray, Howard Freeman as Fogel, and Neville Brand as Red are all essential ingredients.

The story is inspired by the US Senate’s 1950-51 Committee to Investigate Organized Crime, aka the Kefauver Committee, headed by Senator Estes Kefauver.

It is the first feature film of Carolyn Jones, playing a character based on Bugsy Siegel’s moll Virginia Hill who testified to the anti-crime committee.

The outside filming is a treat: Several historical locations in central LA are shown.

The cast are William Holden, Alexis Smith, Edmond O’Brien, Tom Tully, Ray Teal, Ed Begley, Danny Dayton, Adele Longmire, Ted de Corsia, Don Porter, Howard Freeman, Neville Brand, Jay Adler, Whit Bissell, Russ Conway, Grace Hayle, Carolyn Jones (uncredited) as Miss Lilian Smith, Tom Moore, Mary Murphy, Ralph Sanford, Eugene White, Russell Johnson, and Lee Phelps.

The Turning Point [This is Dynamite!] is directed by William Dieterle, runs 85 minutes, is made and released by Paramount, is written by Warren Duff, is shot in black and white by Lionel Lindon, is produced by Irving Asher, is scored by Irvin Talbot, and is designed by Hal Pereira.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,504

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