US Release date: 17 February 1949
First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 14 January 1950
Genre: Crime
Country: USA
Running time: 88 minutes.
Director: Max Ophüls
Cast: James Mason, Barbara Bel Geddes & Robert Ryan
Australian Distributor: MGM
Melbourne Premiere Venue: MGM’s St. James Theatre for one week from 30 September 1949 with The Inlanders as support.
Suburban Release Type: Union 4-L-2
Rankings
| Rank | ||
| EF Points | 179 | 131 |
| EF PPE | 4.48 | 122 |
| Metres Travelled | 459,639 | 182 |
| Average MT | 11,491 | 25 |
| Engagements | 40 | 229 |
| Slots | 64 | 84 |
| Weeks | 24 | 60 |
| Weeks as % of engagements | 60.00% | 65 |
| Saturdays | 9 | 231 |
| Sats as % of engagements | 22.50% | 265 |
| Tuesdays | 7 | 215 |
| Tues as % of engagements | 17.50% | 245 |
| First billed | 15 | 165 |
| Second billed | 25 | 125 |
| Feature only | 0 | 34* |
Independent Ratios
| Engagements weeks 1-10 | 27 |
| Ratio | 67.50% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -19.17% |
| Eng weeks 11-26 | 10 |
| Ratio | 25.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 17.38% |
| Eng weeks 27-52 | 3 |
| Ratio | 7.50% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 1.79% |
| Hoyts eng | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -0.84% |
| Independent eng | 28 |
| Ratio | 70.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -7.11% |
| Suburban eng | 12 |
| Ratio | 30.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 7.95% |
NOTES: Off-brand MGM noir did not find a city audience and fared just as poorly in the suburbs. Exhibitors did not seem to know what to do with it, initially having it top-line with the re-issue of A Night at the Opera in its first week, then supporting that Marx Brothers comedy in its second, and afterwards flipping and flopping from the top to the bottom of the bill until finally settling into second feature playdates. It did enjoy a long suburban life though, still turning up in its 43rd week.
Caught engagements
| SUBURB | VENUE | CHAIN | DATE | W | D | B | CO-FEATURE |
| Toorak | Village | Independent | 14/1/50 | 1 | S | 2 | Big jack |
| Collingwood | Austral | Suburban | 14/1/50 | 1 | T | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| St.Kilda | Astor | Independent | 14/1/50 | 1 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| St.Kilda | Palais | Suburban | 14/1/50 | 1 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Westgarth | Westgarth | Independent | 21/1/50 | 2 | S | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Newmarket | Newmarket | Suburban | 21/1/50 | 2 | T | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Caulfield | Camden | Independent | 21/1/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Thrill of a Romance |
| Malvern | Embassy | Independent | 21/1/50 | 2 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Moonee Ponds | Moonee | Independent | 21/1/50 | 2 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Preston | Planet | Suburban | 21/1/50 | 2 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| East Brunswick | Liberty | Independent | 28/1/50 | 3 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Glenferrie | Glen | Independent | 28/1/50 | 3 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Hawthorn | Vogue | Independent | 28/1/50 | 3 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Balwyn | Balwyn | Suburban | 28/1/50 | 3 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Camberwell | Rivoli | Suburban | 28/1/50 | 3 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Ormond | Plaza | Suburban | 28/1/50 | 3 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Preston | St. James | Suburban | 28/1/50 | 3 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Fairfield | Fairfield | Suburban | 4/2/50 | 4 | T | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Footscray | Grand | Independent | 4/2/50 | 4 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Heidelberg | Orient | Independent | 11/2/50 | 5 | S | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Yarraville | Sun | Independent | 11/2/50 | 5 | S | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Box Hill | Rialto | Suburban | 11/2/50 | 5 | S | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Newport | Plaza | Independent | 11/2/50 | 5 | T | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Williamstown | Empress | Independent | 11/2/50 | 5 | T | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Oakleigh | Plaza | Independent | 18/2/50 | 6 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Ashburton | Civic | Independent | 4/3/50 | 8 | W | 2 | The Stratton Story |
| Chelsea | Plaza | Independent | 11/3/50 | 9 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| Burnley | Burnley | Independent | 1/4/50 | 12 | W | 1 | A Night at the Opera |
| North Richmond | Victoria | Independent | 8/4/50 | 13 | T | 2 | Sand |
| West Brunswick | Western | Independent | 8/4/50 | 13 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| East Malvern | Waverley | Independent | 15/4/50 | 14 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| North Brighton | Gardenvale | Independent | 22/4/50 | 15 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Sandringham | Roxy | Independent | 22/4/50 | 15 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Port Melbourne | Port | Independent | 6/5/50 | 17 | W | 1 | Neptune’s Daughter |
| Eltham | Plaza | Suburban | 27/5/50 | 20 | S | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Elwood | Broadway | Independent | 27/5/50 | 20 | T | 2 | Ship Ahoy |
| North Carlton | Adelphi | Independent | 27/5/50 | 20 | W | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| South Melbourne | Empire | Suburban | 15/7/50 | 27 | S | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Coburg West | Progress | Independent | 14/10/50 | 40 | S | 2 | A Night at the Opera |
| Essendon | Regal | Independent | 4/11/50 | 43 | S | 2 | Nancy Goes to Rio |
The 1950 Project 