Chicago Calling (1951): reparto, argumento y streaming

Released in 1951, Chicago Calling is a thriller and drama film directed by John Reinhardt, running about 75 minutes. “$53 means life or death to him!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Bill Cannon (Dan Duryea) loses everything to alcohol: his job, his family, his self-respect. Soon after his wife and daughter leave him, he receives word his little girl has been injured in a car accident outside Chicago. His wife will call later with news, but Bill’s short the $53 he needs to keep his phone from being disconnected. Filled with anguish, he heads out onto the Los Angeles streets to find some way to come up with the cash. As his character encounters expected cruelty and unexpected kindness, Duryea takes what might have been mere melodrama and turns it into a perceptive examination of one shattered soul. The other fine star of this race-against-the-clock programmer is an unglamorous, lunch-bucket L.A. rarely captured on film.

Who’s in it. Chicago Calling stars Dan Duryea as Bill Cannon, Mary Anderson as Mary Cannon, Gordon Gebert as Bobby and Ross Elliott as Jim, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, Chicago Calling has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Chicago Calling page.

If you liked it. Fans of Chicago Calling tend to enjoy El caballero oscuro, Pulp Fiction, Parásitos and El club de la lucha.