"Side Street" begins with some impressive aerial shots of New York City and statistical information about its citizens that together signal an attempt to make this, a production that's as realistic as possible. As it continues, the presence of an authoritative voiceover narration and extensive use of location filming successfully ensure that the desired level of authenticity is achieved in a movie which ultimately displays many of the characteristics of a docu-noir. Its story about a young man who, in a moment of weakness, gives in to temptation and does something wrong which he can't subsequently put right is a typical film noir "downward spiral" plot which, as well as being gripping, exemplifies the futility of trying to struggle against the hand of fate.Joe Norson (Farley Granger) is a young man who's devoted to his pregnant wife Ellen (Cathy O'Donnell) and has ambitions to buy her a mink coat and take her to see some of Europe's great cities. This isn't possible however, because following a failed business venture and his inability to get a full-time job, the couple are actually poverty-stricken and live with his in-laws. One day his job as a part-time letter carrier takes Joe to the office of an attorney called Victor Backett (Edmon Ryan), where he sees $200 which has dropped on the floor and is deterred from following his natural instinct to pick it up. On a later occasion, when he calls to make a delivery to the same office, the opportunity presents itself for him to simply take the money from a filing cabinet and so he goes ahead and steals the cash.Joe immediately finds himself in a state of panic and becomes even more scared when he discovers that the sum he's stolen was actually $30,000. To make matters worse, Backett is no ordinary victim as the stolen money was actually the proceeds of a blackmail scheme that he'd carried out with the help of the beautiful Lucille Colner (Adele Jergens) who'd lured a wealthy businessman called Emil Lorrison (Paul Harvey) into a honey trap. In a state of desperation, Joe puts the stolen cash in a package which he leaves with a local bartender for safekeeping.In order to cover his tracks, Backett arranges for his accomplice George Garsell (James Craig) to kill Lucille and dump her body in the East River and after this is done, NYPD Captain Walter Anderson (Paul Kelly) takes charge of the investigation into the murder.Joe tries to relieve his anguish by visiting Backett at his office and confessing what he'd done. Backett suspects that Joe may be working with the police and so pretends that he doesn't know what Joe's talking about. Subsequently though, Backett sends Garsell and a taxi driver called Larry Giff (Harry Bellaver) to retrieve the money. When Garsell catches up with Joe, he learns that the bartender, Nick Drumman (Edwin Max) has absconded with the money and so both men then go separately in search of the guy who Joe had foolishly trusted. Joe's search for Drumman ends when he discovers his dead body in circumstances that put him in the frame for the dead man's murder. Now being pursued by both the criminals and the police, Joe tries to avoid coming to a sticky end by making his own investigations into how and from whom, Backett had originally acquired the stolen money.In "Side Street" the aerial shots of New York City emphasise how insignificant the struggling young couple are in their surroundings and also how trapped Joe is when he tries to escape the attentions of his pursuers. Similarly, because the indoor action takes place in very small rooms and shadowy staircases etc. the fact that Joe always seems to be physically hemmed-in, reflects perfectly the mental torment that he's experiencing and how impossible it seems for him to escape from his predicament.Reuniting Farley Granger and Cathy O'Donnell who'd worked together so successfully in "They Live By Night" (1948) must have seemed an irresistible prospect for both commercial and artistic reasons and they both turn in good performances in this movie which is tense, riveting and ends with an exciting car chase. The supporting cast is also above average and contribute some cameos that make a really strong impression.

Shortly after they made "They Live By Night", Farley Granger and Cathy O'Donnell started in this intricate and brilliantly plotted noir for Anthony Mann, (doing a superb job in an urban setting before the westerns and epics that made his name). It's a corker of a B-Movie and almost no-one has heard of it. Sidney Boehm provided the taut, economical script that finds Granger as a young petty thief way in over his head when he 'accidentally' steals $30,000 of blackmail money. There isn't a redundant moment in the picture which moves at lightening speed and is magnificently shot on location by the great Joseph Ruttenberg. The first-rate supporting cast includes James Craig, Paul Kelly, Charles McGraw, Harry Bellaver and the great Jean Hagen as a nightclub singer. I would call this a cult movie if only it were better known; seek it out immediately.

"Side Street" released in 1950, is an excellent thriller from director Anthony Mann. Farley Granger plays an average working guy who hauls around a mail-bag to make a living. While delivering mail one day, he picks up some money lying around in an office -- well, actually be breaks into the file drawer to get it. Thinking he has only taken a small amount of money, it turns out to be several hundred thousand. This sets off a wild chain of events, with Granger conflicted about what to do. The money is tempting, as his wife (Cathy O'Donnell) is in the hospital having a baby. However, Granger doesn't realize who the money belongs to. The film gets quite complicated and edgy, with murder and a spectacular car chase thrown in at the end. The New York City locations are great fun to watch, and the wonderful black and white cinematography has Anthony Mann's stamp all over it. There are some fine supporting performances, notably from James Craig, playing a ruthless thug, and Jean Hagen has a great part as a boozy bar singer. Cathy O'Donnell isn't given much to do here except look worried. However, this is Farley Granger's show, and he does not disappoint. It's a shame Granger never got the recognition he deserved. Perhaps he just wasn't offered more great parts or maybe he was too good-looking to be taken seriously. Either way, this is a fine film, a true example of the noir films coming out of Hollywood in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

New York City postman Farley Granger (as Joe Norson) has his youth, good looks, and plenty of hope. He dreams about seeing Paris someday, and wants to buy pretty pregnant wife Cathy O'Donnell (as Ellen) a full-length mink coat. But, Mr. Granger also worries about how he will support his growing family on a meager part-time postal salary. When, during his mail route, temptation presents Granger with an opportunity to take $30,000 in blackmail payoff money, Granger takes it. Alas, he money turns out to be bigger and dirtier than Granger dreamed, turning him into both a murder suspect and potential victim… Watching director Anthony Mann and photographer Joseph Ruttenberg chase Granger around New York City, in beautiful black and white, is marvelous to behold. The three are superb. Regrettably, writer Sydney Boehm's protagonist often comes across as more dumb than naïve; the first obvious example is how Granger leaves his stash with bartender Ed Max (as Nick). Not too smart. The act needed more desperation; simply keeping a police presence on screen would have helped. Still, you can feel the big, shadowy city closing in on Granger's psyche. With a little tinkering, "Side Street" might have been a masterpiece.******** Side Street (3/23/50) Anthony Mann ~ Farley Granger, Cathy O'Donnell, James Craig, Jean Hagen