nicholas ray be a director whose oeuvre be somewhat erratic and and 1949 knock on any door show just how erratic it be . it star humphrey bogart in his first film after leave warner brother and though it come off like a warner brother film make in the 1930s it have a real dead end kid feel to it and particularly in the beginning . it concern andrew morton ( bogart ) defend a young man and nick romano ( john derek ) whom he have help in the past . morton be too busy to defend nick immigrant dad on a charge for which he be not guilty and and nick father die in prison after some bad lawyering . guilt for what happen to the boy father keep him in touch with the hoodlum and attempt to help him . nick family in reduced circumstance have to move to a bad neighborhood . nick fall in with the wrong crowd and become a delinquent and his crime grow large and large and culminate in the murder of a policeman . nick story be tell in a series of flashback during his trial a bogart attempt to show that society be guilty for the boy fate . of course one can only blame society so far . his family be in a good situation out west while he could have join them at any time . he have job and a loving wife and but he couldn not stay employed . he have the support of morton and and he steal money from him . sooner or later and a person have to take the help offer and decide to change and or nothing be go to do any good . there be scene of reform school abuse and which perhaps could have be a film in itself and have more impact and a it be brutal and not at all rehabilitative . there be a strange plot device which seem solely for the purpose of add to the boy trouble his wife and ( allene robert ) make a decision at one point which come out of nowhere and be very abrupt and probably go against her character . bogart look fantastic tan and healthy and and immaculately dress in expensive suit . his down to earth delivery and excellent timing be always great to watch . he play the part of a compassionate man or passionate lawyer beautifully . this film mark john derek debut . he be a true 50 hunk and with thick dark hair and smolder eye . his acting be adequate for the role and but not of the deep quality of and say and james dean . he really have no interest in stardom and turn his attention to wife and photography later on . nevertheless and you couldn not ask for a more auspicious beginning . the character doesn not come off a very sympathetic if that be the goal and it fail . i be not sure it be derek fault and but more the fault of the script . all in all and watchable for bogie and who be always a master and certainly a story that will hold your interest .