Panic in the Streets (1950, Elia Kazan)

Another 1950s movie about an underpaid, overworked guy who neglects his wife in favor of his job. This time instead of a newspaper man, he’s a US health guy trying to save the country from a deadly outbreak, slightly more excusable. Our guy is Richard Widmark (same year as Night and the City and No Way Out) and the wife is Midge from Vertigo… he’s neglecting Midge! So, it’s back to being inexcusable. Murderer Jack Palance (in his sharp-faced debut) isn’t about to let himself get caught, and he’ll throw any obstacle or friend under the bus to escape from the cops assisting the health guy, not realizing (or giving two shits) that the immigrant he knocked off was patient zero. I’m surprised his whiney friend Zero Mostel makes it all the way to the end. Their other friend Tommy Cook (American Guerrilla in the Philippines the same year), sick on a stretcher, gets hurled down the stairs as a diversion. Meanwhile, Widmark tries to convince any of the locals to help but everyone is…