The Human Jungle
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Joseph M. Newman
Gary Merrill
Jan Sterling
Paula Raymond
Emile Meyer
Regis Toomey
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Police Captain John "Danny" Danforth, who had intended to leave the police force in three months to become a lawyer, requests permission from Police Chief Abe Rowan to resign immediately as he has a job offer. Rowan is in the midst of an investigation of the murder of a striptease dancer in the city's notorious, crime-ridden Jefferson Heights area. Rowan tells Danny that they can discuss his request as they drive to the Heights' precinct station. Once there, however, they observe a poorly run, demoralized crew being supervised by the aging Capt. Marty Harrison. Danny tells Rowan, who is under great pressure from city officials to clean up the neighborhood, that the precinct is "dead on its feet" and needs a total reorganization. Rowan then suggests that Danny take over the precinct, pointing out that the ensuing publicity could help launch his law career. Danny declines, but Rowan rejects his resignation and assigns him to the job. At home, Danny explains to his worried wife Pat that the job will be for three months only and convinces her to be patient. When Danny takes over the precinct, he regards the solving of the dancer's murder as the primary focus of his plan to rid the neighborhood of criminal elements. After jolting the precinct's crew out of their complacency, Danny works with detective Bob Geddes, his second-in-command, on the murder case. Geddes interrogates suspect Earl Swados, a boyfriend of the murdered woman, but has to release him when Swados states that another stripper, Mary Abbott, can provide an alibi for him. After Danny fights with detective Lannigan over Lannigan's drinking on the job, Danny demotes the detective to walking a beat. Danny then orders all the officers to crack down on criminals and states that he will back up any officer who needs to use force. Later, Danny interviews Mary about Swados' alibi, and learns that she works at a club called The Hut. After his officers close down gambling dens and arrest fences and petty criminals, Danny wins the support of the district attorney and his men become more enthusiastic about their jobs. The crackdowns reveal that most of the illegal activities in the area are controlled by the dapper, older Leonard Ustick, who regards himself as a "small-business man." Swados and another thug, George Mandy, work for Ustick. After Danny visits The Hut and unsuccessfully tries to convince Mary to cooperate with the police, he reassigns the now contrite Lannigan to work undercover at the club and entrap Mary in a prostitution sting. Although she is arrested and booked for prostitution, the embittered Mary refuses to provide evidence about Sawdos and Ustick. Danny's plans are disrupted when detective Strauss is walking home one night and spots a robbery in progress. Strauss shoots at the getaway car and accidentally kills an innocent passerby, causing protests from the citizenry. However, Danny continues his focus on the murder case, picks up Swados again and bluffs him that Mary has retracted her alibi and is cooperating with information about the club and Ustick. At first, Swados does not believe him, but becomes scared when threatened with the electric chair. Danny then frees Swados, but has him followed. When Ustick meets with Swados, he assures him that he will get Mary released from jail and derail Danny's investigation. Following Ustick's orders, Mandy pays three teenage toughs to be beaten up by The Hut's bartender, then claim that the injuries were suffered while they were in police custody. Later, at a police board of enquiry, Ustick's lawyer accuses Danny of ordering the boys beaten, fabricating evidence and being responsible for the slaying of the passerby. Pat suggests to Danny that they could begin his law career in another city, but he refuses to leave. Geddes tells Danny that Ustick's lawyer has arranged Mary's release and that Swados, who thinks she has double-crossed him, has been seen loitering outside her apartment building. When Geddes states that Mary needs protection or relocation to another state, Danny rejects that and is willing to risk Mary's life and have Swados confront her. Although Geddes and Pat disagree with him, Danny is convinced that, with full police surveillance, his plan will work. After setting up recording devices in the apartment next to Mary's, Danny's plan is foiled when Swados leaves a message with the apartment house manager, luring Mary to a party. She takes a taxi to the party's address while Danny and Lannigan follow and Geddes summons additional officers. The taxi drops Mary off at a brewery, where Swados is waiting to kill her. He chases her through the brewery, but is followed by Danny and Lannigan, who save Mary. Danny then pursues Swados to the brewery's roof where, as several squad cars arrive, he panics, surrenders and promises to expose Ustick's rackets. As Danny then wants to go home to Pat, he asks Geddes to take Swados' statement, but assures him that he will be back on the job in the morning and that he will be staying there for the foreseeable future.
Director
Joseph M. Newman
Cast
Gary Merrill
Jan Sterling
Paula Raymond
Emile Meyer
Regis Toomey
Lamont Johnson
Chuck Connors
Pat Waltz
George Wallace
Chubby Johnson
James Westerfield
Don Keefer
Rankin Mansfield
Than Wyenn
Claude Akins
Charles Cane
Florenz Ames
Joe Turkel
Cy Warner
Wayne Heffley
Nicky Blair
John Lomma
William Tannen
John Ayres
Eddie Ryder
Jack Clinton
Michael Emmet
Kevin Enright
Paul Hoffman
Jerry Zinnamon
Wilbur Mack
Margaret Bert
Rory Mallinson
David De Haven
Booth Colman
Howard Hoffman
Anna Navarro
Phil Arnold
Leo T. Cleary
Tony De Mario
Bert Holland
Lester Dorr
Ken Miller
Speer Martin
Al Hill
John Pickard
Robert Pike
Vince Barnett
Marjorie Bennett
Marie Blake
Ed Ingram
Ford Rainey
Henry Kulky
Shirley Rickert
Kathy Marlowe
Joey Ray
Sonia Werner
Sandra Werner
Hugh Boswell
Martha Wentworth
Julie Desmond
Eleanor Moore
Felice Richmond
Tom Moore
Robert E. Griffin
Meyer Grace
Ed Andrews
Frank Hagney
Crew
Rex Bailey
John Banse
Ralph Butler
Ellis Carter
Lt. R. R. Coppage L.a.p.d.
Samuel Fields
Daniel Fuchs
Hayes Goetz
Bert Hendrickson
Austen Jewell
Joseph Kish
Dave Milton
Marvin E. Mirisch
Eddie Polo
Max Rich
William Sackheim
William Sackheim
Hans Salter
Lester Sansom
Mary Smith
Allen K. Wood
Basil Wrangell
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
This film's working title was The Police Story. The CBCS adds Dan Ullman to the screenplay credits, but his name is not included in other sources. A television adaptation of the film, starring Dennis O'Keefe and Joan Vohs, appeared on Lux Video Theatre on October 20, 1955.
