Detective Story (1951 Film) - Plot

Plot

The film begins with the arrest of a shoplifter (Lee Grant in her first film role) and her booking at the 21st police precinct in New York City. Outside, Det. Jim McLeod (Kirk Douglas) is sharing a romantic moment with his wife Mary (Eleanor Parker), and they discuss the children they are planning to have. He returns to the precinct to process a young embezzler named Arthur Kindred (Craig Hill).

McLeod then encounters Endicott Sims (Warner Anderson), lawyer of Karl Schneider (George Macready), a New Jersey doctor who has had his license revoked and is now wanted on murder charges. Sims informs Lieutenant Monahan (Horace McMahon) that Schneider wants to turn himself in to avoid the wrath of McLeod, who has apparently been conducting an ongoing hate campaign against the doctor, who is known to perform abortions. McLeod professes his hatred of Schneider, and in fact all criminals, lamenting that the law merely "coddles them."

Two burglars, Charley Gennini (Joseph Wiseman, who played the title role in the first James Bond film Dr. No) and Lewis Abbott (Michael Strong), are brought in. With his partner Brody's (William Bendix, best known as Riley in the TV series, Life Of Riley) help, McLeod interrogates the men and manages to turn Abbott against Gennini. Further investigation proves that Gennini essentially makes a living out of thievery. When his record comes in it turns out that he has done far worse than stealing.

When Schneider arrives with Sims, McLeod informs him that his assistant, Miss Hatch (Gladys George), has implicated him and will pick him out of a line-up. To McLeod's disgust, Schneider has bribed Hatch with a fur coat, and she fails to identify him. McLeod explodes and calls Hatch a liar before dismissing her. He admits to reporter Joe Feinson (Luis Van Rooten) that his hatred for his father and "his criminal mind" (who drove his wife to a lunatic asylum) is what fuels his crusade against evil-doers.

McLeod then takes Schneider to Bellevue Hospital where a young victim of Schneider's work is being treated. However, McLeod learns that the woman has died, and without her identification, there is no case against Schneider. As they head back to the precinct, Schneider threatens McLeod with information he apparently has on the detective, taunting him that he has a lot of pull in high places. McLeod responds by slapping and punching Schneider until he suddenly collapses. As an ambulance is called Schneider mentions the name "Giacoppetti" and a woman to Monahan, which presumably has something to do with McLeod. When Sims comes by to berate McLeod and Monahan he inadvertently reveals - only in the presence of Monahan - that the woman is Mary McLeod.

Arthur's boss, Albert R. Pritchett (James Maloney), comes to the precinct to file charges against Arthur. His old family friend Susan (Cathy O'Donnell) arrives and gives Pritchett $120 she scraped together hoping no charges are filed against her friend. McLeod calls Arthur a thief and tries to dissuade Susan, but she pleads with Pritchett, swearing that the funds will be repaid the next day. In truth, Arthur stole the money to pay for a dinner date with an old flame, in a vain attempt to rekindle her interest in him. Brody sympathizes with Arthur and talks Pritchett into accepting Susan's money. Angered by Brody's interference, McLeod essentially bullies Pritchett into filing charges, stating that a first offender always becomes a repeat offender (using Gennini as an example), and no mercy should be shown to them.

Mary McLeod arrives at the station and talks with Lt. Monahan about knowing Giacoppetti - a racketeer who used to date Mary - and Schneider. She denies knowing them, but when Giacoppetti walks in and greets her, she bursts into tears. Giacoppetti, pressured by Monahan, admits that Mary had gotten pregnant while they dated and gone to Dr. Schneider for an abortion.

Mary confesses to her husband, and once alone with him she asks his forgiveness, but he brutally responds that he'd rather die than find out his wife is "a tramp," and asks if her infertility was caused by Schneider's abortion. Stunned and severely hurt by Jim's reaction, Mary leaves in tears.

Later, she comes to the station to say goodbye to McLeod and he pleads with her to stay. Mary relents, but after a snide comment made by Sims about Mary's love life, McLeod falls back on his anger and asks how many men there were before he met her, admitting he cannot wash away the "dirty pictures" in his mind. Calling him cruel and vengeful, she leaves McLeod for good, not wanting be "driven to a lunatic asylum." She vows never to see him again.

Gennini, taking advantage of the commotion started when a victim runs into the station yelling she's been robbed, grabs a gun from a policeman's holster and shoots McLeod several times. McLeod, in his dying words, asks for his wife's forgiveness and requests that his colleagues go easy on Arthur Kindred. McLeod then begins an Act of Contrition, which Brody finishes after McLeod dies. A distressed Brody then releases Arthur while admonishing him "not to make a monkey out of me." Arthur and Susan (who earlier professed her love for him) leave as Monahan calls for a priest and Joe calls his newspaper to inform them of McLeod's death.