Detective Story (1951 film)

Detective Story
Theatrical release poster
Directed byWilliam Wyler
Screenplay byRobert Wyler
Philip Yordan
Based onDetective Story
1949 play
by Sidney Kingsley
Produced byWilliam Wyler
StarringKirk Douglas
Eleanor Parker
William Bendix
Cathy O'Donnell
CinematographyLee Garmes
John F. Seitz (uncredited)
Edited byRobert Swink
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • November 6, 1951 (1951-11-06) (New York)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.5 million
Box office$2.8 million (rentals)

Detective Story is a 1951 American crime drama film noir directed by William Wyler and starring Kirk Douglas that tells the story of one day in the lives of the various people who populate a police detective squad. The ensemble supporting cast features Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Cathy O'Donnell and George Macready, and Lee Grant and Joseph Wiseman play large roles in their film debuts. The film was adapted by Robert Wyler and Philip Yordan from the 1949 play by Sidney Kingsley. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Academy Award for Best Director for Wyler, Best Actress for Parker and Best Supporting Actress for Grant.