is a 1950 American crime film noir[5] directed by Cy Endfield and starring Frank Lovejoy, Kathleen Ryan, Richard Carlson.

The Pagano novel was based on events that occurred in 1933 when two men were arrested in San Jose, California for the kidnapping and murder of Brooke Hart.

[7] Howard Tyler is a family man from Boston, living in California with his wife and boy, who has trouble finding a job.

A vicious mob assembles outside the police station, overpowers the guards and storms the building, seizing the two men in order to kill them.

[8] The film was the first independent production from Robert Stillman, who had worked with Stanley Kramer, and signed a six picture deal with United Artists.