Glass Wall (1953)

A Hungarian immigrant (Vittorio Gassman) and a survivor of the German concentration camps is caught as a stowaway when his ship reaches New York. When authorities tell him they will send him back, he escapes and the remainder of the film becomes a “race against time” thriller as he searches for the ex-soldier (Jerry Paris) whose life he saved and who can sponsor his legal entry into the United States but he must do so before 7:00 AM when he becomes a fugitive and therefore ineligible for U.S. residency for whatever reason. Written and directed by Maxwell Shane (FEAR IN THE NIGHT). Until it falls apart in the last fifteen minutes, this is a marvelous if modest noirish B&W thriller with a documentary feel. Gloria Grahame as a down on her luck dame who tries to help him and Robin Raymond as an aging stripper and fellow Hungarian who tries to shelter him contribute stand out performances. The film is awkward in its last act as Gassman makes a plea for tolerance which is straight out of a Stanley Kramer movie and doesn’t jibe with the grittiness of what preceded. Well shot by Joseph F. Biroc (TOWERING INFERNO), the glass wall of the title refers to the United Nations. With Ann Robinson, Joe Turkel and Kathleen Freeman and a good score by Leith Stevens .