Guilty Bystander (1950)
Guilty Bystander is a 1950 American crime drama directed by Joseph Lerner, and starring Zachary Scott and Faye Emerson. The film was shot on location entirely in New York City. It also marked the last motion picture screen appearances for character actors Mary Boland and J. Edward Bromberg. Until recently, Guilty Bystander was considered a lost film.
Director – Joseph Lerner
Writers – Robert Allison Wade (novel), H. William Miller (novel), Don Ettlinger (screen play)
Cast –
Zachary Scott as Max Thursday
Faye Emerson as Georgia
Mary Boland as Smitty
Sam Levene as Captain Tonetti
J. Edward Bromberg as Varkas
Kay Medford as Angel
Jed Prouty as Dr. Elder
Harry Landers as Bert
Dennis Patrick as Fred Mace
Ray Julian as Johnny
Watch “Guilty Bystander” (1950)
Plot
Max Thursday is an ex-cop and an alcoholic. The only job he can find is house detective at his pal Smitty’s rundown hotel.
Ex-wife Georgia comes to him in a panic. Their young son Jeff is missing and so is her brother Fred Mace. She didn’t report it, after being warned not to go to the police by Dr. Elder, who is a business acquaintance of Fred’s.
The drunken Max confronts pistol packing Dr. Elder, looking for answers regarding his missing son, but the doctor knocks him out cold from behind. Max wakes up and is taken to police headquarters for questioning. He soon learns that Dr. Elder has been killed and he becomes the prime suspect. Georgia gives the cops a false alibi for Max, so the police have no cause to hold him, and he’s released.
Now sober, Max learns that the doctor was involved in a diamond smuggling operation with Varkas, a known criminal. He learns from Varkas’ helpful moll, Angel, that the gangster’s men are holding Fred hostage.
Max is shot in the arm by Varkas’ thugs. He goes to Georgia who stitches his wounds. When he recovers, he goes to Varkas’ warehouse to look for Mace. He discovers that Varkas and his bodyguards are all dead.
Max finally realizes that his old friend Smitty is behind the whole scheme. Fred and little Jeff are rescued. Grateful Georgia embraces her little boy and welcomes Max back into the family.