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The Bottom of the Bottle

  • 1956
  • Approved
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
352
YOUR RATING
Joseph Cotten, Van Johnson, and Ruth Roman in The Bottom of the Bottle (1956)
Drama

In the border town of Nogales, Arizona, a wealthy attorney and rancher is solicited by his escaped convict brother in aiding him to cross the border into Mexico where his wife and children a... Read allIn the border town of Nogales, Arizona, a wealthy attorney and rancher is solicited by his escaped convict brother in aiding him to cross the border into Mexico where his wife and children are living in poverty.In the border town of Nogales, Arizona, a wealthy attorney and rancher is solicited by his escaped convict brother in aiding him to cross the border into Mexico where his wife and children are living in poverty.

  • Director
    • Henry Hathaway
  • Writers
    • Sydney Boehm
    • Georges Simenon
  • Stars
    • Van Johnson
    • Joseph Cotten
    • Ruth Roman
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    352
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Henry Hathaway
    • Writers
      • Sydney Boehm
      • Georges Simenon
    • Stars
      • Van Johnson
      • Joseph Cotten
      • Ruth Roman
    • 18User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos4

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    Top cast42

    Edit
    Van Johnson
    Van Johnson
    • Donald Martin…
    Joseph Cotten
    Joseph Cotten
    • Pat 'P.M.' Martin
    Ruth Roman
    Ruth Roman
    • Nora Martin
    Jack Carson
    Jack Carson
    • Hal Breckinridge
    Margaret Hayes
    Margaret Hayes
    • Lil Breckinridge
    Bruce Bennett
    Bruce Bennett
    • Brand
    Brad Dexter
    Brad Dexter
    • Stanley Miller
    Peggy Knudsen
    Peggy Knudsen
    • Ellen Miller
    Jim Davis
    Jim Davis
    • George Cady
    Margaret Lindsay
    Margaret Lindsay
    • Hannah Cady
    Nancy Gates
    Nancy Gates
    • Mildred Martin
    Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez
    Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez
    • Luis Romero
    • (as Gonzales-Gonzales)
    John Lee
    John Lee
    • Jenkins
    Tod Griffin
    • Rancher
    • (as Ted Griffin)
    Ernestine Barrier
    Ernestine Barrier
    • Lucy Grant
    Walter Woolf King
    Walter Woolf King
    • Grant
    Sandy Descher
    Sandy Descher
    • Annie Martin - Donald's Daughter
    Harry Morgan
    Harry Morgan
    • Felix - Barkeep
    • (as Henry Morgan)
    • Director
      • Henry Hathaway
    • Writers
      • Sydney Boehm
      • Georges Simenon
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The chimes on the doorbell of the Breckinridge's house play "How Dry I Am," quite fitting considering Donald's (Van Johnson) drinking problem and the boozy household guests that tempt him.
    • Goofs
      The three children speak on the phone excitedly and happily to their father, as if they have a close relationship. But he has been in prison for five years, and the children look under eight.
    • Quotes

      Donald Martin: Don't let that beer worry you. I've become a soft-drink man.

    • Soundtracks
      Serenade in Blue
      (uncredited)
      Music by Harry Warren
      Played at the gathering during the rainstorm

    User reviews18

    Featured review
    7/10

    Excellent study of characters and strong messages of forgiveness

    A wonderful body of work. Saw it many years ago on AMC, but has not been shown since. I continue to look with the hopes that any video company would discover this gem and make it available.

    Great display of location shooting and the work of the entire cast represent them at their finest.

    Van Johnson has never been better, and Joseph Cotten holds on admirably to generate the contrast between the brothers. Ruth Roman,a stalwart of the profession, should have a festival somewhere dedicated to her work. I would definitely attend. I highly recommend one and all to search for this film, and I am happy that there are others who feel the way I do about this body of work.
    • hkatchay
    • Sep 15, 2004
    • Permalink

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 19, 1956 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Other Man
    • Filming locations
      • Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $1,695,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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