US Release date: 8 June 1950 (as The Lawless)
First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 14 October 1950
Genre: Crime
Country: US
Running time: 83 minutes
Director: Joseph Losey
Cast: Macdonald Carey, Gail Russell & Johnny Sands
Australian Distributor: Paramount
Melbourne Premiere Venue: Union’s State Theatre for two weeks from 25 August 1950 as support to My Friend Irma Goes West.
Suburban Release Type: Union 8-W-2
Rankings
| EF Points | 117 | 179 |
| EF PPE | 2.85 | 186 |
| Metres Travelled | 413,332 | 232 |
| Average MT | 10,081 | 196 |
| Engagements | 41 | 222 |
| Slots | 61 | 96 |
| Weeks | 20 | 71 |
| Weeks as % of engagements | 48.78% | 97 |
| Saturdays | 18 | 135 |
| Sats as % of engagements | 43.90% | 141 |
| Tuesdays | 3 | 299 |
| Tues as % of engagements | 7.32% | 325 |
| First billed | 4 | 196 |
| Second billed | 37 | 90 |
| Feature only | 0 | 34* |
Independent ratios
| Engagements weeks 1-10 | 41 |
| Ratio | 100.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 13.33% |
| Eng weeks 11-26 | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -7.62% |
| Eng weeks 27-52 | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -5.71% |
| Hoyts eng | 1 |
| Ratio | 2.44% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 1.60% |
| Independent eng | 31 |
| Ratio | 75.61% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -1.50% |
| Suburban eng | 9 |
| Ratio | 21.95% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -0.10% |
Notes: Tough race-relation noir was better than My Friend Irma Goes West – which it supported on its suburban release – but at least it received wide play and was seen by many. Its 117 EF points was enough to place it 179th for the year, just the wrong side of the top half. Little notable among the other metrics.
The Dividing Line engagements
| SUBURB | VENUE | CHAIN | DATE | W | D | B | CO-FEATURE |
| Burnley | Burnley | Independent | 14/10/50 | 1 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| North Carlton | Adelphi | Independent | 14/10/50 | 1 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Collingwood | Austral | Suburban | 14/10/50 | 1 | T | 2 | Give Me a Sailor |
| Albert Park | Kinema | Independent | 14/10/50 | 1 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Richmond | National | Independent | 14/10/50 | 1 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| St. Kilda | Astor | Independent | 14/10/50 | 1 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Toorak | Village | Independent | 14/10/50 | 1 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| St. Kilda | Memorial | Hoyts | 14/10/50 | 1 | W | 1 | Mark of the Gorilla |
| Brunswick | Empire | Independent | 21/10/50 | 2 | S | 1 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Elsternwick | Esquire | Independent | 21/10/50 | 2 | S | 1 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| West Brunswick | Western | Independent | 21/10/50 | 2 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Newmarket | Newmarket | Suburban | 21/10/50 | 2 | T | 2 | Give Me a Sailor |
| Caulfield | Camden | Independent | 21/10/50 | 2 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Moonee Ponds | Moonee | Independent | 21/10/50 | 2 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Westgarth | Westgarth | Independent | 21/10/50 | 2 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Preston | Planet | Suburban | 21/10/50 | 2 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Essendon | Regal | Independent | 28/10/50 | 3 | S | 1 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Richmond | Globe | Suburban | 28/10/50 | 3 | S | 2 | Dakota Lil |
| Brunswick East | Liberty | Independent | 28/10/50 | 3 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| East Malvern | Waverley | Independent | 28/10/50 | 3 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Glenferrie | Glen | Independent | 28/10/50 | 3 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Hawthorn | Vogue | Independent | 28/10/50 | 3 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Balwyn | Balwyn | Suburban | 28/10/50 | 3 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Ormond | Plaza | Suburban | 28/10/50 | 3 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Ashburton | Civic | Independent | 4/11/50 | 4 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Middle Brighton | Dendy | Independent | 4/11/50 | 4 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| North Brighton | Gardenvale | Independent | 4/11/50 | 4 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Sandringham | Roxy | Independent | 4/11/50 | 4 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Fairfield | Fairfield | Suburban | 4/11/50 | 4 | T | 2 | Give Me a Sailor |
| Footscray | Grand | Independent | 4/11/50 | 4 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Newport | Plaza | Independent | 11/11/50 | 5 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Surrey Hills | Surrey | Independent | 11/11/50 | 5 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Williamstown | Empress | Independent | 11/11/50 | 5 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Coburg | Plaza | Independent | 11/11/50 | 5 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Heidelberg | Orient | Independent | 11/11/50 | 5 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Yarraville | Sun | Independent | 11/11/50 | 5 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| North Melbourne | Central | Independent | 18/11/50 | 6 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Oakleigh | Plaza | Independent | 18/11/50 | 6 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Port Melbourne | Port | Independent | 18/11/50 | 6 | W | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Box Hill | Regent | Suburban | 25/11/50 | 7 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
| Murrumbeena | Argosy | Suburban | 2/12/50 | 8 | S | 2 | My Friend Irma Goes West |
The 1950 Project 