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 do…

The narrative unfolds from actual events. Following the shooting death of an officer, Frank Wiecek, a minor offender, stands trial for the crime and receives a life sentence. Eleven years later, tenacious journalist P.J. McNeal becomes involved in the situation; as he investigates further, his conviction grows that Wiecek is innocent, but can he uncover proof to support this belief? Director Henry Hathaway’s se…