Dead Reckoning
War heroes Rip Murdock and Johnny Drake are sent to Washington, D.C, to receive top honors for their service. Johnny, seemingly terrified by the publicity that awaits him, jumps off the train and later turns up dead. Suspecting foul play, Rip begins digging into his pal's past. He encounters cover-ups, threats to his own life and deadly femme fatale Coral Chandler.
Critics Sentiment
Rip confronts the real killer in a violent showdown
Rip wakes up to discover a dead bartender in his apartment
The film recovers from its mid-point frame-up sequence to build toward a highly praised violent confrontation, gaining nearly 2 points.
Dead Reckoning follows a classic noir trajectory that starts strong with an intriguing setup and Bogart's compelling performance, dips slightly during familiar plot machinations in the middle act, then builds to a satisfying and surprisingly violent conclusion. While critics consistently praised Bogart's authenticity and the atmospheric direction, opinions were divided on Lizabeth Scott's femme fatale and the overly clever dialogue, keeping it solidly in middle-tier noir territory.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 22
Humphrey Bogart
Capt. 'Rip' Murdock
Lizabeth Scott
Coral Chandler
Morris Carnovsky
Martinelli
Charles Cane
Lt. Kincaid
William Prince
Sgt. Johnny Drake
Marvin Miller
Krause
Wallace Ford
McGee
James Bell
Father Logan
George Chandler
Louis Ord
Matthew Beard
Bellboy (uncredited)
Ruby Dandridge
Mabel (uncredited)
George Eldredge
Police Officer Casey (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
William Forrest
Lt. Col. Simpson (uncredited)
Herschel Graham
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Raoul Freeman
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Joe Gilbert
Croupier (uncredited)
Dick Gordon
Dealer (uncredited)
Alvin Hammer
Photographer (uncredited)
Ray Teal
Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
Crew
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