A pioneering film about racial tensions, No Way Out stars Richard Widmark as a criminal who despises African-Americans. Sidney Poitier (in his screen debut) is the black doctor assigned to take care of the wounded Widmark. Poitier, hired by the police hospital as part of an overall program to integrate the staff, keeps his temper in check as Widmark spouts his racist invective. When Widmark's brother, also wounded, dies in the hospital, the blustering bigot holds Poitier responsible and sends word to his gang to wreak vengeance on the city's black community. But the blacks turn the tables on the whites and fight them off. Widmark then breaks out of the hospital with Poitier as hostage. His plans to kill the doctor are thwarted by Widmark's girlfriend (Linda Darnell) who finally becomes fed up with blind hatred. No Way Out was considered potent stuff in 1950; it was still regarded as a hot potato in 1962, when NBC dropped plans to telecast the film on Saturday Night at the Movies. Hal Erickson