US Release date: 22 December 1949
First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 4 November 1950
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Running time: 108 minutes
Director: Mervyn Leroy
Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, James Mason & Van Heflin
Australian Distributor: MGM
Melbourne Premiere Venue: MGM’S Metro Theatre for two weeks from 29 September 1950 as a feature only presentation.
Suburban Release Type: Union 8-W-1
Rankings
| Rank | ||
| EF Points | 377 | 21 |
| EF PPE | 7.54 | 29 |
| Metres Travelled | 545,673 | 58 |
| Average MT | 10,913 | 77 |
| Engagements | 50 | 86 |
| Slots | 85 | 21 |
| Weeks | 35 | 21 |
| Weeks as % of engagements | 70.00% | 34 |
| Saturdays | 9 | 231 |
| Sats as % of engagements | 18.00% | 296 |
| Tuesdays | 6 | 236 |
| Tues as % of engagements | 12.00% | 283 |
| First billed | 48 | 56 |
| Second billed | 2 | 248 |
| Feature only | 0 | 34* |
Independent ratios
| Engagements weeks 1-10 | 46 |
| Ratio | 92.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 5.33% |
| Eng weeks 11-26 | 3 |
| Ratio | 6.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -1.62% |
| Eng weeks 27-52 | 1 |
| Ratio | 2.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -3.71% |
| Hoyts eng | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -0.84% |
| Independent eng | 37 |
| Ratio | 74.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -3.11% |
| Suburban eng | 13 |
| Ratio | 26.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 3.95% |
Notes: MGM set their starry cast in this crime drama that focused on class relations. Its EF total featured just outside the top 20, as did a number of other metrics including slots, weeks and average PPE. Released a couple of years later when Ava Gardner’s star-power was at its peak it may have landed a top-10 placing. The Big Hangover was its usual support (and twice landing top spot on the bill).
East Side, West Side engagements
| SUBURB | VENUE | CHAIN | DATE | W | D | B | CO-FEATURE |
| Collingwood | Austral | Suburban | 4/11/50 | 1 | T | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Albert Park | Kinema | Independent | 4/11/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Burnley | Burnley | Independent | 4/11/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| North Carlton | Adelphi | Independent | 4/11/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Richmond | National | Independent | 4/11/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| St. Kilda | Astor | Independent | 4/11/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Toorak | Village | Independent | 4/11/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| St. Kilda | Palais | Suburban | 4/11/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Newmarket | Newmarket | Suburban | 11/11/50 | 2 | T | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Brunswick | Empire | Independent | 11/11/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Caulfield | Camden | Independent | 11/11/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Elsternwick | Esquire | Independent | 11/11/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Moonee Ponds | Moonee | Independent | 11/11/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| West Brunswick | Western | Independent | 11/11/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Westgarth | Westgarth | Independent | 11/11/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Malvern | Embassy | Suburban | 11/11/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Preston | Planet | Suburban | 11/11/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Brunswick East | Liberty | Independent | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| East Malvern | Waverley | Independent | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Essendon | Regal | Independent | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 2 | The Big Hangover |
| Glenferrie | Glen | Independent | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Hawthorn | Vogue | Independent | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Balwyn | Balwyn | Suburban | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Camberwell | Rivoli | Suburban | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Ormond | Plaza | Suburban | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Preston | St. James | Suburban | 18/11/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| North Brighton | Gardenvale | Independent | 25/11/50 | 4 | S | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| North Melbourne | Central | Independent | 25/11/50 | 4 | S | 2 | The Big Hangover |
| Elwood | Broadway | Independent | 25/11/50 | 4 | T | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Fairfield | Fairfield | Suburban | 25/11/50 | 4 | T | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Ashburton | Civic | Independent | 25/11/50 | 4 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Middle Brighton | Dendy | Independent | 25/11/50 | 4 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Footscray | Grand | Independent | 25/11/50 | 4 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Sandringham | Roxy | Independent | 25/11/50 | 4 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Newport | Plaza | Independent | 2/12/50 | 5 | S | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Williamstown | Empress | Independent | 2/12/50 | 5 | S | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Box Hill | Regent | Suburban | 2/12/50 | 5 | S | 1 | Romance for Three |
| Coburg | Plaza | Independent | 2/12/50 | 5 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Heidelberg | Orient | Independent | 2/12/50 | 5 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Yarraville | Sun | Independent | 2/12/50 | 5 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| North Richmond | Victoria | Independent | 9/12/50 | 6 | S | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Oakleigh | Plaza | Independent | 9/12/50 | 6 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Port Melbourne | Port | Independent | 9/12/50 | 6 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Surrey Hills | Surrey | Independent | 16/12/50 | 7 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Murrumbeena | Argosy | Suburban | 23/12/50 | 8 | S | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Chelsea | Plaza | Independent | 30/12/50 | 9 | W | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| Reservoir | Plaza | Independent | 13/1/51 | 11 | S | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| South Melbourne | Empire | Suburban | 31/3/51 | 22 | S | 1 | Trapped by Boston Blackie |
| West Preston | Rivoli | Independent | 30/6/51 | 25 | T | 1 | The Big Hangover |
| West Coburg | Progress | Independent | 25/8/51 | 43 | T | 1 | Meet the Killer |
The 1950 Project 