Boomerang!

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Overview

Boomerang, directed by Elia Kazan, is a chilling film noir, the true story about the murder of a priest, the subsequent arrest and trial of a jobless drifter, and the efforts of young state's attorney Henry Harvey Dana Andrews to uncover the truth. Closely based on the actual 1924 murder of Fr. Hubert Dahme in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the film was directed by the young Elia Kazan in a highly effective, semi-documentary style. Kazan shot most of the film on location, using high-contrast cinematography and an ...
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DVD (Subtitled / Pan & Scan)
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Overview

Boomerang, directed by Elia Kazan, is a chilling film noir, the true story about the murder of a priest, the subsequent arrest and trial of a jobless drifter, and the efforts of young state's attorney Henry Harvey Dana Andrews to uncover the truth. Closely based on the actual 1924 murder of Fr. Hubert Dahme in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the film was directed by the young Elia Kazan in a highly effective, semi-documentary style. Kazan shot most of the film on location, using high-contrast cinematography and an extremely mobile camera to create a palpable sense of urgency. The screenplay, expertly crafted by Richard Murphy received an Academy Award nomination.
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Special Features

Audio commentary by film historians Alain Silver and James Ursini; Poster gallery; Unit photography gallery; Theatrical trailer
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Karl Williams
This noir docudrama, the story of an actual unsolved murder, reflected the taste for true-life storytelling of Twentieth Century Fox production chief Darryl F. Zanuck. Adapted from a Reader's Digest article called "The Perfect Case," Boomerang! concerned the murder of a priest and the subsequent efforts of a prosecutor to exonerate the accused killer, an ex-G.I. whom the police had coerced into confessing. Although the film pointed to a probable shooter (a fellow priest), in reality the crime was never solved. Zanuck and his producer, former "March of Time" newsreel producer Louis de Rochemont, hired young director Elia Kazan, who characteristically refused to oversimplify the characters, all of whom walk a fine line between virtue and corruption. (De Rochemont had just finished work on two other true-life dramas for Zanuck with director Henry Hathaway, both of which employed documentary-style techniques: The House on 92nd Street (1945) and 13 Rue Madeleine (1946), which also included actual documentary footage). Kazan, de Rochemont, and Zanuck made several unusual creative choices to enhance the film's authenticity. The entire picture, including interiors, was filmed in Connecticut, except for the courtroom scenes, which were staged in White Plains, NY. Kazan and cinematographer Norbert F. Brodin employed a roving camera to enhance the film's documentary-like feel, and de Rochemont cast most of the smaller roles with non-professional local residents. The end result was one of the earliest examples of the "docudrama" form. Kazan received more attention (and an Oscar) that same year for Gentleman's Agreement, but his Best Direction award from the New York Film Critics' Circle was for both films. As a theater director, Kazan had directed the original Broadway production of Death of a Salesman, and playwright Arthur Miller returned the favor by appearing as one of the line-up suspects in Boomerang!.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 9/2/2008
  • UPC: 024543244486
  • Original Release: 1947

    • Rating:

  • Source: 20th Century Fox
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Subtitled / Pan & Scan
  • Time: 1:28:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 4,907

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Dana Andrews Henry L. Harvey
E.J. Ballantine McDonald
Jane Wyatt Mrs. Harvey
Royal Beal Johnson
Lee J. Cobb Chief Robinson
Ed Begley Sr. Paul Harris
Arthur Kennedy John Waldron
Cara Williams Irene Nelson
Wryley Birch Fr. Lambert
Karl Malden Lieutenant White
Sam Levene Dave Woods
John Carmody Callahan
William Challee Stone
Philip Coolidge Crossman
Bert Freed Man
Richard Garrick Mr. Rogers
Walter Greaza Mayor Swayze
Helen Hatch Miss Manion
Taylor Holmes Wade
Robert Keith Mac McCreery
Barry Kelley Sgt. Dugan
Lester Lonergan Jr. Cary
George Petrie O'Shea
Anthony Ross Warren
Guy Thomajan Cartucci
Clay Clement Judge Tate
James Dobson Bill
Brian Keith Extra
Anna Minot Secretary
Mayor Charles E. Moore Himself
Leona Roberts Mrs. Crossman
Lucia Backus Seger Mrs. Lukash
Technical Credits
Elia Kazan Director
Norbert F. Brodin Cinematographer
David Buttolph Score Composer
Richard Day Art Director
Louis de Rochemont Producer
Chester Gore Art Director
Harmon Jones Editor
Thomas K. Little Set Decoration/Design
Richard Murphy Screenwriter
Kay Nelson Costumes/Costume Designer
Alfred Newman Score Composer
Ben Nye Sr. Makeup
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Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Fox Film Noir, Vol. 16: Boomerang
1. Main Titles
2. Murder in a Connecticut Town
3. Remembering Father Lambert
4. Under Pressure
5. Public Indignation
6. The Record
7. Meeting With City Officials
8. Chief Robertson
9. A Dark Coat and a Light Hat
10. Prime Suspect
11. The Confession
12. Under Oath
13. Instinct
14. Harvey's Proclamation
15. Motives
16. Desperate Threats
17. Running for Governor
18. The Gun
19. Re-Enactment
20. False Testimony
21. Questionable Interrogation
22. Ballistics
23. Politics Can't Beat Honesty
24. End Titles
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Menu

Disc #1 -- Fox Film Noir, Vol. 16: Boomerang
   Play
   Language Selection
      Language and Audio: English Mono
      Language and Audio: English Stereo
      Language and Audio: Audio Commentary With Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini
      Subtitles: English
      Subtitles: Spanish
      Subtitles: None
   Scene Selection
   Special Features
      Audio Commentary With Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini: On
      Audio Commentary With Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini: Off
      Theatrical Trailer
      Still Galleries
         Poster Gallery
         Unit Photography
      Fox Noir
         I Wake Up Screaming
         House of Strangers
         Vicki
         If You Liked This Movie, You May Want to Try...
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