Detective Story (1951): cast, story & where to watch
1951 · Film · ★ 6.9
Released in 1951, Detective Story is a drama and crime film directed by William Wyler, running about 103 minutes. “The love story of a man whose wife was more woman than angel!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Tells the story of one day in the lives of the various people who populate a police detective squad. An embittered cop, Det. Jim McLeod, leads a precinct of characters in their grim daily battle with the city's lowlife. The characters who pass through the precinct over the course of the day include a young petty embezzler, a pair of burglars, and a naive shoplifter.
Who’s in it. Detective Story stars Kirk Douglas as Det. James McLeod, Eleanor Parker as Mary McLeod, William Bendix as Det. Lou Brody and Cathy O'Donnell as Susan Carmichael, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, Detective Story has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Detective Story page.
If you liked it. Fans of Detective Story tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Detective Story (1951)?
- In US, Detective Story is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Detective Story worth watching?
- Detective Story holds an audience score of 6.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and crime. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Detective Story?
- Detective Story stars Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Cathy O'Donnell and George Macready.
- When was Detective Story released?
- Detective Story was released in 1951, with a runtime of about 103 minutes.