pedantic and overlong fabrication which attempt to chronicle the birth of the federal bureau of investigation . begin quite promisingly and with a still relevant probe into an airplane explosion and however the melodrama involve james stewart and wife vera mile just get in the way ( mile have a habit of play tepid wife under duress and and her frayed nerve arrive here right on schedule ) . esteem director mervyn leroy helm this adaptation of don whitehead book and but despite the talent involve and the picture fail to make much of an impression . best performance be turn in by murray hamilton a stewart partner and however most of the dialogue be ludicrous and the dogged pacing cause the movie to seem twice as long a it be . half from .