The Sellout (film)

The Sellout is a 1952 American film noir directed by Gerald Mayer and starring Walter Pidgeon, John Hodiak, Audrey Totter and Paula Raymond.

Plot
Big-city newspaper editor Haven D. Allridge (Pidgeon) starts a crusade against corrupt small-town sheriff Burke (Gomez) after he gets a first-hand taste of Burke's version of justice. Although Burke blackmails Allridge into silence using the misdeeds of Allridge's son-in-law, county prosecutor Randy Stauton (Mitchell), state attorney Chick Johnson (Hodiak) continues the fight.

Cast

 * Walter Pidgeon as Haven D. Allridge
 * John Hodiak as Chick Johnson
 * Audrey Totter as Cleo Bethel
 * Paula Raymond as Peggy Stauton
 * Thomas Gomez as Kellwin C. Burke
 * Cameron Mitchell as Randy Stauton
 * Karl Malden as Captain Buck Maxwell
 * Everett Sloane as Nelson S. Tarsson
 * Jonathan Cott as Ned Grayton
 * Frank Cady as Bennie Amboy
 * Hugh Sanders as Judge Neeler
 * Griff Barnett as Attorney General Morrisson
 * Burt Mustin as Elk M. Ludens
 * Whit Bissell as Wilfred Jackson
 * Roy Engel as Sam F. Slaper

Reception
According to MGM records, the film made $434,000 in the US and Canada and $211,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $227,000.