Panic in the Streets is a 1950 crime-drama starring Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas. The film also featured the legendary Jack Palance in his big-screen debut.
The film's premise is this: After a fresh off the boat immigrant is killed by a gangster named "Blackie" (Jack Palance) his body is dumped off at the docks. When the police discover the body the next morning the coroner reports a suspicious bacteria present in the body. Lieutenant Commander and doctor for the U.S. Public Health Service, Clint Reed (played by Richard Widmark) is called in to further examine the body. it's soon discovered that the man had pneumonic plague. It then becomes a race against time, as Reed and police Captain Warren (played by Paul Douglas) need to find the killer and anyone who came in contact with the dead man before a full-blown epidemic breaks out. All the while the two are also trying to keep the story from getting out to reporters, as they fear if it ends up in the newspaper it could result in 'panic in the streets'.
Overall, I think this is a very good movie with a compelling story. With regards to the two leads of the film, I really like Paul Douglas but, I can think of a handful of actors who probably would've been better choices over Richard Widmark. As for some of the supporting cast, I think that both Barbara Bel Geddes and Zero Mostel did a solid job.
I wouldn't nessacerily call Panic in the Streets a 'must-see' movie but, if you're looking for a decent noir film you can't go wrong with this one.
4 out of 5
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