Product Details

• Actors: James Stewart, Vera Miles, Murray Hamilton, Larry Pennell, Nick Adams
• Directors: Mervyn LeRoy
• Writers: Don Whitehead, John Twist, Richard L. Breen
• Producers: Mervyn LeRoy
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: February 21, 1995
• Run Time: 149 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301942639
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15,938 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Approved by J. Edgar Hoover himself, this idealized telling of the FBI's origins spans the years between Hoover's appointment in the '20s and the Red Scare of the mid-'50s. Beginning with an investigation that showcases the talent and resources available to the FBI, dedicated agent Chip Hardesty (Jimmy Stewart) tells new recruits how the agency was streamlined into a professional crime-fighting organization. Using his personal life story as a backdrop, Hardesty takes the new men (and the viewer) through cases involving gangsters, land grabs, and Communist spies. Vera Miles plays Hardesty's dedicated wife, while Murray Hamilton helps out as gung-ho fellow agent Sam Crandall. Lots of pro-Hoover PR and propaganda, but it never gets in the way of the action or family drama. Interestingly, the history of the Hardesty family is almost as good as the history of the agency. --Mark Savary

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The movie that made me a Stewart fan!, July 22, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The FBI Story (DVD)

I saw this movie when I was eight and into cop stories. This movie really got me interested into Jimmy Stewart and into a classic movie fan. (Stewart was born only 25 minutes from my home.) This is a great adventure flick with lots of action as well as some heart and humor to it. Vera Miles plays Stewart's often distraught wife about his job with the FBI. This film is a must for any Stewart/action movie fan!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Movie with Great Acting, January 25, 2005

By	Floyd Turbo "carl0086" (USA) - See all my reviews

Unlike the reviewer below who used this space to espouse his political views and whine about the FBI's behavior in real life, I'll talk about the actual movie. This is a good, fun movie that is very black and white in its storytelling. Much like Dragnet and shows of that ilk, the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad in this. The fact that the FBI isn't like that in real life doesn't make this a bad movie. It was designed as a puff piece on the FBI, so naturally it's biased towards them. However, using Hardesty's family to showcase the changing FBI is a great storytelling device and Jimmy Stewart really brings this to life. It takes what could be bland and makes it an interesting and fun vehicle. We all know things aren't as simple and easy as things are portrayed in this movie, but this is an enjoyable good guys versus bad guys escapist drama.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie, May 23, 2005

By	Joel A. Mann "jdnb" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of my favorite old movies that has not been released on DVD. This is a great story with great actors. It is hard to believe that with all the junk being released on DVD that a great movie like this is still not yet available. Come on guys wake up and release this movie on DVD. I will be first in line to buy it.