Chicago Confidential

{{Infobox film

| name = Chicago Confidential

| image = Chicago Confidential film poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Sidney Salkow

| producer = Robert E. Kent

| screenplay = Bernard Gordon
(originally as Raymond T. Marcus)

| based_on = {{based on|the novel Chicago: Confidential!|Jack Lait
Lee Mortimer}}

| starring = Brian Keith
Beverly Garland
Dick Foran

| music = Emil Newman

| cinematography = Kenneth Peach

| editing = Grant Whytock

| color_process = Black and white

| studio = Peerless Productions

| distributor = United Artists

| released = {{Film date|1957|08|30}}

| runtime = 73 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

}}

Chicago Confidential is a 1957 American crime film noir directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Brian Keith, Beverly Garland and Dick Foran. It is based on the 1950 book Chicago: Confidential! by Jack Lait and Lee Mortimer.[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/17064/chicago-confidential#articles-reviews Article on film at Turner Classic Movies] accessed 19 May 2013

Chicago Confidential was the first film produced for Edward Small by Robert E. Kent, who had been a writer and story supervisor at Columbia. Small and Kent went on to make many movies together.{{Cite news|title=Warners Buys No. 1 Seller, 'Nun's Story'; Satire Will Be Staged|author=Scheuer, Philip K.|work=Los Angeles Times|date=Nov 1, 1956|page=C15}}

Plot

A union official named Blane is framed for the murder of another union official. The crime syndicate actually responsible for the killing is free to continue its activities. District Attorney Jim Fremont's plan to run for governor can be helped by a conviction of Blane, but thanks to Blane's fiancée Laura Barton he begins to suspect that Blane has been set up, launching a new investigation.

Laura testifies in court that Blane was with her at the time of the murder, and a neighbor, Sylvia Clarkson, swears she heard Blane's voice coming from Laura's apartment. Jim discovers a tape recording that suggests Clarkson might have been fooled, but Laura convinces him otherwise. Clarkson turns out to be conspiring with the criminals.

Racketeers, led by Ken Harrison, knock Jim cold and take Laura hostage. Harrison intends to flee by airplane. Jim and his men surround the plane at the air strip and a gun battle ensues, Harrison is shot. Jim's political future is now set, while Blane is released so that he can marry Laura.