where the sidewalk end ( 1950 ) where one end and another beginsthis be a prototypical film noir and and a such and pretty flawless and from both style and content point of view . the photography and night setting be first rate ( cinematographer joseph lashelle let the drama ooze in scene after scene ) and and the close ups on face pure expressionism . i can watch this kind of film for the visuals alone and even when the actor struggle and the plot stink . but the acting be first rate here and and the plot feature what i consider the core of most noir film and the alienated male lead ( represent the many men return home to a change united state after the war and feeling lose themselves ) . in fact and not only be dana andrew really convince a the troubled and loner detective and he have a small but important counterpart in the film and the lead female ( first ) husband and an decorate ex gi fall onto hard time and booze . the fact the one man kill the other might be of monumental significance and overall the regular guy struggle through his inner problem to success while the medal wear soldier slip into an accidental death with a silver plate in his head . the woman transition from one to the other we assume they marry and have child a suggest earlier in the movie . even if this be push an interpretation onto it after the fact and we can still see the path of one man with some psychological baggage careen through a crisis to the high kind of moral order turn himself in for a small crime just at the point he have actually get away with it . this movie belong to andrews . he play a far more restrained and move type than kirk douglas play in a similar role in william wyler detective story make just one year later and and andrew certainly be less theatrical . you could easily see both movie side by side for a textbook compare and contrast session . the fact that andrews a detective dixon be morally struggle through it all and and douglas a detective mcleod be not and might explain why one man get his girl and the other doesn not . gene tierney pull off a hugely sympathetic and demurring and and ultimately conventional and pretty type of woman not just a cardboard desirable and but someone you want dixon to actually marry . the criminal plot be really secondary to the main drama and but be effective enough in it play with type and clichés . the bit part be keep snappy and the small detail ( like the portable crap table ) nice touch and far from the character actor or the glamour of gamble in casablanca . but then and curtiz great movie be iconic even in the detail it make no effort to be subtle and real and penetrating and but instead be sweeping and memorable and inspire . they come at opposite end of the war and and represent opposite possibility for their leading men . bogart be begin his active duty and dixon and and the man dixon have kill and be all through . through and thoroughly and but not wash up . it no accident that many and possibly most and film noirs have what you would call happy ending . the man overcome his adversary and transform his inner self and and the moviegoer and then and now and understand just how beautiful that must feel .