I, the Jury (1953 film)

I, the Jury is a 1953 mysterythriller film noir, based on the novel I, the Jury by Mickey Spillane. It was directed by Harry Essex, produced by Victor Savilles company, Parklane Pictures and released through United Artists.

Shortly before Christmas in New York City, onearmed insurance investigator Jack Williams Robert Swanger is looking at a college yearbook photo of John Hansen when someone slips into his apartment and shoots him to death. Hotheaded private investigator Mike Hammer Biff Elliot, Jacks war buddy, vows to avenge his friends death despite a warning from Pat Chambers Preston Foster, captain of the homicide squad, to let the police handle the case. Pat is unable to calm Mike, who roughs up a wisecracking reporter before leaving the crime scene. Knowing that Mike will forge ahead with an investigation regardless of his advice, Pat urges the offended reporter to publish an article disclosing that Mike is on the job.Mike goes to see Jacks fiance, Myrna Devlin, a torch singer and reformed drug addict, but she is too distraught to talk with him. The next day, Mikes secretary Velda tells him about the article, titled I, the Jury, which suggests that Mike knows the identity of the killer, thereby making him a target. Because Pat has given him a guest list from Jacks recent party, Mike surmises that the police captain is using him to draw out the killer. ........

Source: Wikipedia