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Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, Luther Adler, Beverly Campbell, Lynne Baggett ... see more see more... , William Ching , Henry Hart , Neville Brand , Laurette Luez , Jess Kirkpatrick , Cay Forrester , Virginia Lindley , Michael Ross , Diana Barrymore , Beverly Garland , Frank Gerstle , Lawrence Dobkin , Carolyn Hughes , Jerry Paris

"I want to report a murder...mine." So begins D.O.A. Told in flashback, the story tells of how vacationing CPA Frank Bigelow (Edmond O'Brien) becomes the recipient of a deadly poison known as iridium.... read more read more... Told by a doctor that he hasn't long to live, Bigelow desperately retraces his movements of the previous 24 hours, trying to locate his murderer. Through the aid of his secretary Paula Gibson (Pamela Britton) (who doesn't know of her employer's imminent demise), Bigelow traces a shipment of iridium to a gang of criminals who've used the poison in the commission of a crime. But for much of the film, it remains unclear why Bigelow himself was targeted. Though we know from the outset that Bigelow isn't long for this world, the film builds up an incredible amount of suspense towards the end, when Bigelow is taken "for a ride" by a psychopath (Neville Brand). with a penchant for pummeling his victims in the belly. DOA was remade in 1988 with Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

73% liked it

2,458 ratings

Critics

95% liked it

19 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 23 min.

Directed by: Rudolph Maté

Release Date: April 30, 1950

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DVD Release Date: April 30, 1950

 

Stats: 178 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (178)

  • flixsterman
    March 22, 2011
    flixsterman
    Frank Bigelow is an accountant living on borrowed time. Someone has slipped luminous toxin into his bourbon and now he has just a few days to solve his own murder. D.O.A. is over-acted, over-scripted and under-appreciated. An absolute delight!
  • ajv2688
    October 26, 2010
    ajv2688
    An extremely exciting, suspenseful movie, a really good movie.
  • garyX
    January 5, 2007
    garyX
    Directed by a cinematographer, and it shows. One of the best looking noirs filmed in high contrast black and white, and Edmond O'Brien is interestingly cast out of his usual whiter than white type. The only blemish is the bizarre use of a comedy flute noise every time he encounte... read morers a member of the opposite sex, which as you can imagine, does not sit very well with the otherwise grimly dark atmosphere. A great concept, well executed, and far better than the gimmicky remake.
  • mjgildea
    November 2, 2006
    mjgildea
    It's always fun to watch a character with nothing left to lose in action.
  • mustardnoize
    November 22, 2008
    mustardnoize
    A film with a classically great hook: a man who has solved his own murder. The film doesn't really take off until the second act, but when it does, it really gets moving. In many ways, this film is grandfather to the modern action picture, which wound up borrowing a lot of its te... read morechniques. While the film is somewhat cheesy and occasionally overacted (especially in the "wolf-whistles" that accompany the passing of every attractive woman, definitely one the film's lowest attributes), its style and its great combination of hook and ending makes this a film noir classic. Recommended.
  • threefolddado
    June 13, 2008
    threefolddado
    One of the best Film Noir movies ever made.
  • ristrawn
    March 6, 2010
    ristrawn
    good & interesting & suspenseful about a murder plot & solving the case... Edmond O'Brien was fantastic...
  • jam233
    December 31, 2009
    jam233
    A very original and fascinating story - the first scene of the film is a classic. It's tense and exciting, wonderfully acted by Edmond O'Brien. Remade with Dennis Quaid and it's not up to this classic. Great pace.
  • iamthethinman
    March 20, 2009
    iamthethinman
    Classics like this deserve the title. And I?m amazed that they let a movie like this get made back in its time. It is an early pure concept movie that I guess movies like Crank pay homage to, but really shouldn?t be linked unless by the unrefined like me. Plus, I love San Francis... read moreco movies, just to rep the hometown.

    This movie is a great suspense and mystery movie that rolls through with reckless abandon, like the protagonist, and doesn?t let up. It has great situations where you can?t help but root for the dead guy. And how it plays out the relationship(s) of the movies are great and depraved, in only a way a murder mystery should be. Perfect classic and genre genesis.
  • firstamb
    December 8, 2008
    firstamb
    The original idea based on the crime noir novels of the 1940s, premised in a man who has hours to live, to solve his own murder by slow toxin. The 50s version doesn't rely on special effects because they didn't have them yet. The story also seems more in line with the Cold War of... read more the time, as follow ups and remakes really didn't have that intense paranoia carrying them. Worth having in your collection of classics.

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Critic Reviews

Fernando F. Croce
February 4, 2010
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

Sweltering Borgesian fantasy Full Review

Pablo Villaca
June 6, 2007
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

Apesar de determinados elementos que não envelheceram bem (como as referências na trilha às paqueras do herói), tem uma premissa fascinante que consegue gerar boa dose de suspense.

Nick Schager
May 1, 2006
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Rudolph Maté's seminal thriller rapidly decomposes into a campy, confusing bore. Full Review

David Cornelius
April 8, 2005
David Cornelius, eFilmCritic.com

It stands as one of the finest of the post-war B thrillers. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
November 7, 2004
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Features a murder victim who acts as a detective to solve his own murder. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
January 17, 2003
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner

Crafty, potent little noir.

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Contains one of the cleverest noir concepts ever. A great film.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

March 25, 2006
New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
October 6, 2005
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

No review available.

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D.O.A. Trivia

  • Dennis Quaid married an actress for 10 years before she had an affair with Russell Crowe when they shared a movie. Dennis and her shared D.O.A. and Flesh and Bone. She was in Sleepless in Seattle and In the Cut. She is __  Answer »
  • What was Tina Armstrongs occupation in DOA - dead or alive ?  Answer »
  • What is traditionally a 16th wedding anniversary gift [ DOA -dead or alive ?  Answer »
  • How much does the winner get in Doa -dead or alive ?  Answer »
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