Screenplay: Jay Dratler

Top movies, series, and documentaries with a screenplay by Jay Dratler. Explore the titles that showcase an exceptional writing.


Laura

1944 · Movie · 88 min. · United States

Direction Otto Preminger

Cast Gene Tierney · Dana Andrews · Clifton Webb · Judith Anderson

Synopsis Laura (1944) follows the gripping tale of a murder investigation centered around the enigmatic and alluring Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney), who is discovered fatally shot in her apartment. The relentless Lieutenant Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) is tasked with solving the...

8.1

17K votes

8.1

17K votes

Call Northside 777

1948 · Movie · 111 min. · United States

Direction Henry Hathaway

Cast James Stewart · Richard Conte · Lee J. Cobb · Helen Walker

Synopsis Call Northside 777 (1948) follows the gripping tale that begins in 1932 with the murder of a police officer and the subsequent imprisonment of Frank Wiecek for life. A decade later, an advertisement placed by Frank's mother catches the attention...

7.2

2K votes

7.2

2K votes

The Dark Corner

1946 · Movie · 99 min. · United States

Direction Henry Hathaway

Cast Lucille Ball · Clifton Webb · William Bendix · Mark Stevens

Synopsis The Dark Corner (1946) follows the story of a private investigator, Bradford Galt, who relocates from San Francisco to New York after being released from prison due to the actions of his former lawyer partner, Tony Jardine. Galt soon realizes...

6.9

656 votes

6.9

656 votes

Impact

1949 · Movie · 111 min. · United States

Direction Arthur Lubin

Cast Brian Donlevy · Ella Raines · Charles Coburn · Helen Walker

Synopsis Impact (1949) follows the story of Walter Williams, a pragmatic and successful industrialist from San Francisco. His unfaithful wife and her paramour devise a scheme to eliminate him, but Walter survives the assault, leaving the lover severely disfigured in a...

6.6

285 votes

6.6

285 votes

That Wonderful Urge

1948 · Movie · 82 min. · United States

Direction Robert B. Sinclair

Cast Tyrone Power · Gene Tierney · Reginald Gardiner · Arleen Whelan

Synopsis That Wonderful Urge (1948) follows the story of a tenacious investigative journalist who employs a clever deception to encounter Sara Fowler, a wealthy heiress to a grocery store empire, about whom he has been penning less-than-complimentary articles. As he delves...

6.1

110 votes

6.1

110 votes

We're Not Married!

1952 · Movie · 86 min. · United States

Direction Edmund Goulding

Cast Ginger Rogers · Fred Allen · Victor Moore · Marilyn Monroe

Synopsis We're Not Married! (1952) follows the comedic misadventures of five couples who discover that their marriages were never legally binding. The issue arises when it is revealed that the Justice of the Peace who officiated their weddings had done so...

5.7

184 votes

5.7

184 votes

Fly-By-Night

1942 · Movie · 74 min. · United States

Direction Robert Siodmak

Cast Richard Carlson · Nancy Kelly · Albert Basserman · Miles Mander

Synopsis Fly-By-Night (1942) follows a young physician who is accused of a scientist's murder. To prove his innocence, he embarks on a mission to dismantle a covert Nazi espionage network.

5.6

21 votes

5.6

21 votes

The Las Vegas Story

1952 · Movie · 88 min. · United States

Direction Robert Stevenson

Cast Jane Russell · Victor Mature · Vincent Price · Hoagy Carmichael

Synopsis The Las Vegas Story (1952) follows investment broker Lloyd Rollins, who persuades his wife Linda to make a detour to Las Vegas during their journey from Boston. Once there, Lloyd becomes engrossed in heavy gambling. Linda revisits the Last Chance...

5.4

87 votes

5.4

87 votes

Higher and Higher

1943 · Movie · 90 min. · United States

Direction Tim Whelan

Cast Michèle Morgan · Jack Haley · Frank Sinatra · Leon Errol

Synopsis Higher and Higher (1943) follows the story of a once-wealthy man, Mr. Drake, who has fallen on hard times, leaving his household staff unpaid for seven months. The cunning valet, Mike O'Brien, devises a plan to present the scullery maid,...

4.8

23 votes

4.8

23 votes

Dancing in the Dark

1949 · Movie · 92 min. · United States

Direction Irving Reis

Cast William Powell · Mark Stevens · Betsy Drake · Adolphe Menjou

Synopsis Dancing in the Dark (1949) follows the tale of Emery Slade, a once-celebrated film star from 1932 who finds himself in a dire financial situation by 1949, yet remains as arrogant as ever. Fox producer Crossman seeks Slade's help to...

Not rated

Not rated

It Comes Up Love

1943 · Movie · 61 min. · United States

Direction Charles Lamont

Cast Gloria Jean · Ian Hunter · Donald O´Connor · Frieda Inescort

Synopsis It Comes Up Love (1943) follows the intertwined romantic escapades of two pairs of characters. The first pair consists of vibrant youngsters, Donald O’Connor and Gloria Jean, whose playful flirtation mirrors the romantic dynamics of their more mature counterparts, Louise...

Not rated

Not rated

Meet Boston Blackie

1941 · Movie · 60 min. · United States

Direction Robert Florey

Cast Chester Morris · Rochelle Hudson · Richard Lane · Charles Wagenheim

Synopsis Meet Boston Blackie (1941) follows a gripping narrative where a homicide takes place on a ship anchored in New York. The investigation unfolds, guiding the protagonist to Coney Island, where they uncover a clandestine espionage network.

Not rated

Not rated

Direction Edward Dmytryk

Cast Chester Morris · Harriet Hilliard · Richard Lane · George E. Stone

Synopsis Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941) begins with a murder occurring during the auction of a precious statue. The main suspect is Boston Blackie, whose notorious reputation for skirting the law makes him an obvious target for law enforcement. When the...

Not rated

Not rated

La Conga Nights

1940 · Movie · 70 min. · United States

Direction Lew Landers

Cast Hugh Herbert · Dennis O'Keefe · Constance Moore · Ferike Boros

Synopsis La Conga Nights (1940) follows the escapades of Henry I. Dibble, Jr. (Hugh Herbert), a wealthy and carefree playboy with a deep affection for rhumba music. His life is complicated by his four unmarried sisters—Faith, Hope, Charity, and Prudence, all...

Not rated

Not rated

It's in the Bag!

1945 · Movie · 87 min. · United States

Direction Richard Wallace

Cast Fred Allen · Jack Benny · Don Ameche · William Bendix

Synopsis It's in the Bag! (1945) follows the peculiar tale of Frederick Trumble, a man of considerable fortune who drafts an unusual will, concealing a significant portion of his riches within a chair. Tragically, he meets his end mere moments later....

Not rated

Not rated

Direction J. Lee Thompson

Cast Curd Jürgens · Victoria Shaw · Herbert Lom · Gia Scala

Synopsis Wernher von Braun / I Aim at the Stars (1960) chronicles the extraordinary journey of the renowned rocket scientist Dr. Werner von Braun, a pivotal and divisive figure in the space exploration era. The film delves into von Braun's groundbreaking...

Not rated

Not rated

Girls Under 21

1940 · Movie · 64 min. · United States

Direction Max Nosseck

Cast Bruce Cabot · Rochelle Hudson · Paul Kelly · Tina Thayer

Synopsis Girls Under 21 (1940) follows the story of Francis Ryan, who, after experiencing a life of luxury and excitement as the wife of notorious gangster "Smiley" Ryan, finds herself incarcerated due to her husband's criminal activities. Upon her release, Francis...

Not rated

Not rated

Direction Herschel Daugherty · Richard Irving · John English · Don Weis

Cast Tim Graham · Jean Byron · Marguerite Chapman · Robert Armstrong

Synopsis Studio 57 (TV Series) (1954) was a compelling dramatic anthology series that transitioned to open syndication following the closure of the DuMont Television Network. The show featured a variety of standalone stories, each with its own unique narrative and cast,...

Not rated

Not rated

Get Hep to Love

1942 · Movie · 71 min. · United States

Direction Charles Lamont

Cast Gloria Jean · Donald O´Connor · Jane Frazee · Robert Paige

Synopsis Get Hep to Love (1942) follows the journey of a young, talented singer who, after escaping the harsh environment of her aunt's home, cleverly persuades a kind-hearted rural couple to take her in as their own. The story unfolds as...

Not rated

Not rated