James Stewart and Lee J. Cobb deliver excellent performances in this crime thriller. The latter portrays the employer who tasks the former—a skilled reporter—with looking into the situation of convicted murderer "Frank Wiecek" (Richard Conte). It all begins when Wiecek’s mother places an advertisement in a newspaper, promising $5000 for any information that could challenge the certainty of his conviction. At first doubtful, "McNeal" gradually starts to believe that the verdict—which hinges entirely on the testimony of a previously unknown witness named “Wanda Skutnik”—might be incorrect. He then faces resistance from the Chicago Police Department and must also navigate the mother’s hopeful expectations as his investigation puts him in some danger. Driven by a journalist's intuition, he utilizes advanced technology for its time to gather evidence that could lead to a pardon board overturning the sentence. Apart from an occasionally intrusive narrator, Henry Hathaway effectively creates and maintains suspense, particularly during the film's strong final hour, accompanied by a fittingly dark and jazzy score composed by Alfred Newman. It’s not frequently shown these days, but if you have the opportunity, it’s worth dedicating two hours to.

Source on TMDB