Phenix city song of the south classic movies true stories alabama movies and tv shows phoenix movie tv nostalgia. The tragedy and the triumph of phenix city, alabama. All net proceeds go towards funding a phenix city museum. Welcome to phenix city, alabama, an allamerica city with a rich history and a strong dedication to a progressive future. However, i have spent some time in the area and know the story well. Crime writer ace atkins writes his version of the phenix city story in wicked city updated jan 14. The tragedy and the triumph of phenix city, alabama by. The phenix city story could get around easily in the mid50s because it was basically a bfilm not in the original sense of that term, as the lower half of a double bill that played with an a picture, but as a lowbudget movie that was less an event than part of an overall flow, the way that tv or the internet is today. When they ran the bad actors out of phenix city, some of them came to our area and were absorbed by the above group, so after reading wicked city by ace atkins which is a fictionalized account of the phenix city story, decided to read this book which is nonfiction.
The phenix city story is a 1955 film that i happened to come across while looking for a birthday present for a classic movie lover. Phil karlsons semidocumentarystyle account of phenix s dramatic cleanup, made while the story was still headline news, was unusually for the time filmed on location in the real city. Film critic and alabama expatriate jonathan rosenbaum, writing in his book essential cinema. The tragedy and the triumph of phenix city, alabama by margaret ann barnes chronicles these events, which led the small town to be known as sin city, usa. Original versions of phenix city story feature a minute preface that featured interviews with the people involved, including the widow of the murdered attorney general. A pictorial history book of phenix city is now available online and at the library.
Jan 01, 1998 the history that the tragedy and the triumph of phenix city, alabama is about is very interesting but i cannot recommend this book because the writing is riddled with various errors some examples below. Joe marshall and his brothers, benjamin and jim, were all mixed creek chieftains of the lower creek towns who lived in what is today russell county. The bordertown was the subject of an acclaimed film, the phenix city story, made in 1955. The phenix city story 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. George patton once threatened to take his tanks from fort benning to mash phenix city flat because of the atrocities committed against his soldiers. In his book essential cinema, alabamaborn film critic and historian jonathan rosenbaum called the phenix city story the best film ever made in his former home state. Bertha was the belle of the town in south phenix city of alabama.
The phenix city story 1955 approved 1h 40min crime, drama, filmnoir 14 august 1955 usa a crimebusting lawyer and his initially reluctant attorney father take on the forces that run gambling and prostitution in their small southern town. Richard kiley stars in this gripping crime drama about a crusading lawyer who takes on the corrupt machine running a southern town, based on actual events. Phenix city white pages phenix city phone directory lookup. The most amazing part is that the phenix city story is based on a true story. Phenix cityrussell county library official site of the.
Nonfiction expose by two reporters on phenix city, alabama, at one point dubbed the wickedest city in america. Meet the cast and learn more about the stars of the phenix city story with exclusive news, pictures, videos and more at. Find out about the programs and activities offered at phenix city s senior center. Bertha was the belle of the town in south phenix city of. The namesake suggests a glorious bird arisen from the. As we learn from the introduction, the phenix city story is a pulledfromtheheadlines study of an assassination, whereby albert patterson, a man at first committed to minding his own business, eventually turns against tanners machine, and is shot multiple times in the face for his trouble. As many of you know, columbus, georgia and phenix city.
After world war ii, a good many of the military soldiers, enlisted men, stayed on for a while. Its about the true story of phenix city, alabama and how it. I read a couple that said they bought the disc just to watch the phenix city story. Phenix city alabama memories of murder book signing to tell father books pai livres dads. Indeed, it was filmed almost entirely in its title municipality, thus departing from the hollywood practice of telling stories about the american south without actually ever filming there.
May 30, 2011 phil karlsons the phenix city story begins as a documentary, using the somber visage of a reporter to invite viewers into a world of sin, corruption, and murder. In 1954 gamblers and organized crime that controlled phenix city, alabama, arranged for the assassination of alabama attorney generalelect albert patterson. Not only scary,for lack of a better word this movie haunted me for more than 50 years. Phenix city by john lyles arcadia publishing books. I hope there is a better book about phenix city and i will try to determine which of those i can recommend to people interested in the subject. As many of you know, columbus, georgia and phenix city, alabama are essentially the same city. Fox 54 and wtvm newsleader 9 anchor jason dennis revisits the sin city past of phenix city, al. Margaret anne barnes book the tragedy and the triumph of phenix city, alabama was an eye opener for me. Patterson has big plans for his son john and his family when they return home after his military service in germany. In 1955, it won the allamerica city award from the national municipal league. As of march 16, 2020, the phenix city russell county library is closed due to the covid19 pandemic in order to help protect our patrons and employees.
We have compiled the ultimate database of phone numbers from around the state and country to help you locate any lost friends, relatives or family members. Phil karlsons raw 1955 film noir is based on the reallife story of phenix city, alabamaa viceridden small town scrubbed down by a crusading lawyer. The fall and rise of phenix city malefactors register. It portrayed john patterson as a brash, brawling dogooder.
If you want a deeper dive into the phenix city mob and their control of the city and russell county, youre better off reading margaret anne barnes book. The phenix city story, berthas confession by lamuriel ojo. Sin city and sodom were the names tagged to the city for decades. Sin city tour phenix city alabama phenix city, alabama is located right across the river from columbus, a 30second drive from downtown columbus. Within the creek territories lived many mixed blood indians who were often some of the wealthiest men in the region. The phenix city story is a 1955 ripped from the headlines film noir about the 1954 assassination of albert patterson in phenix city, alabama. This books was printed back in 1955 and is one of the most sought after organzied crime books around. There are very few alabamians left who remember the 1950s story of phenix city, alabama. It had an unusual triple premiere held on july 19, 1955 in phenix city, alabama, columbus, georgia and chicago, illinois nb. Basis for phil karlsons 1955 film noir the phenix city story, a semidocumentary of the alabama town run by a crime syndicate thriving on gambling and prostitution, directed chiefly at soldiers from ft. Crime writer ace atkins writes his version of the phenix. The film revolves around the reallife assassination of albert patterson, a 1954 candidate for alabama attorney general, in phenix city. A phenix city story, the confession of bertha is a motivational book depicting the childhood story of a famed aunt living a vivacious yet sinful lifestyle in the setting of a small historical town.
Jul 19, 2010 phenix city, alabama, on the western bank of the chattahoochee river across from columbus, georgia, was officially incorporated as brownville in 1883. The history that the tragedy and the triumph of phenix city, alabama is about is very interesting but i cannot recommend this book because the writing is riddled with various errors some examples below. A 1955 article about phenix city reported that 20 percent of the citys general fund was made up of income from licenses, fines, and forfeitures. May 15, 2019 phenix citya public television documentary tells about the transformation of an alabama city so wicked that gen. The phenix city story is not a film for the weak at heart or the fragile of temperament. Film critic bruce eder wrote, one of the most violent and realistic crime films of the 1950s, the phenix city story pulses with the bracing energy of actual life captured on the screen in its establishing shots and key scenes, and punctuates that background with explosively filmed action scenes.
Phenix city history phenix city is the county seat of russell county and is located in east alabama along the west bank. To watch this film is to endure a crucible of agony and fury. The rebirth of phenix city shows how the national guard crushed a crime syndicate here in 1954, radically changing. Phenix city a public television documentary tells about the transformation of an alabama city so wicked that gen. The film was directed by phil karlson and stars john mcintire as al patterson and richard kiley as his son john. It seemed to focus more on the frontier past of the chattahoochee valley, but it was a decent read. The film, which takes a number of liberties with the actual events and characters, opened on july 19, 1955, with simultaneous premieres in phenix city, columbus, georgia, and chicago, illinois. The tragedy and the triumph of phenix city alabama thriftbooks. The phenix city story john pattersons speech youtube. Phenix city schools will disseminate final school closure plans not later than the close of school on monday. Patton threatened to roll his tanks across the river from ft. The most important book totv adaptations coming in 2020. Phenix city history phenix city is the county seat of russell county and is located in east alabama along the west bank of the chattahoochee river, which separates.
Born in 1946 i was about eight years old when first viewing this movie and it left a deep impression. Apr 01, 2008 this is an excellent book and accurate rendition of phenix city alabama, which back in the 1950s was one of the most corrupt and murderous cities in america. Greetings, here is a list of phenix city, alabama, gambling clubs prepared from the book phenix city. John pattersons motivational speech to the citizens after the mob murdered his father, the newly elected attorney general, albert patterson. View the tcmdb entry for the phenix city story 1955. Yesterdays memories in photos by visiting the webpage. All computer classes and other programs are cancelled.
August 7, 2019 the phenix city story steve flowers. However, its history can be traced through girard, knights station, summerville, fort mitchell, the creek indian town of coweta, and several other communities within russell county. Director phil karlson showed just how good he was at merging welltold screen drama with vivid verisimilitude and leaving no seams to show where they joined. Edwin strickland and gene wortsman, first edition abebooks. According to author margaret anne barnes, who wrote the definitive history of phenix city, gen. Most dramatic of all was the dark, sensational movie, the phenix city story, filmed in phenix city with townspeople taking parts. Jun 24, 2017 the night his father died, john patterson was home reading a book in bed, and heard something had happened at the law office. In the first chronological and gripping narrative of the events that crippled phenix city, alabama, margaret anne barnes tells the true story of how economic hard times in the depression led a mayor to barter immunity from prosecution to gamblers and gangsters in exchange for money to save the town from going into receivership. In 1954 gamblers and organized crime that controlled phenix city, alabama, arranged for the. The phenix city story is a crime film based on the assassination of alabama politician and attorney albert patterson in june 1954 in phenix city, russell county. The phenix city story 1955 used a rough documentary style to capture the graphic and violent tale, which starred john mcintire, richard kiley, edward andrews, kathyrn grant and lenka peterson. It is a film of monstrous evil, heartbreaking sacrifice, and selfless heroism. I have lived in phenix city, alabama, all of my life, and have only heard about the history of phenix city.
The only scene that stuck out in my mind during those 50 years was the killing of the little girl and the uncaring policeman referring to her as a little n. Phenix city was entrapped in the grasp of the infamous dixie mafia. Opinion the phenix city story alabama political reporter. The film was directed by phil karlson and stars john mcintire as al patterson and richard kiley as his. Pattersons murder followed in the wake of his efforts to clean up the small city on the alabamageorgia state line. Phenix city is one of the most corrupt cities in the u. Aug 07, 2019 there are very few alabamians left who remember the 1950s story of phenix city, alabama. The phenix city in atkins book has long been razed and paved over. Phenix city hardcover 1955 by edwin strickland author, gene wortsman author 4. The phenix city story, screen play by crane wilbur and dan mainwaring. The phenix city story 1955 a crimebusting lawyer and his initially reluctant attorney father take on the forces that run gambling and prostitution in their small southern town.
To the greatest extent possible, phenix city schools recommends that students take books and electronic devices home. The phenix city story vice, southern style, gets the expose treatment in phenix city story. The city of phenix city is located in the state of al. Reality and history as the apotheosis of southern sleaze. We offer the ability to search by first name, last name, phone number, or business name. Needless to say, phenix city today is squeaky clean. Production mostly hews to provable incident, with some coloring or. The phenix city story is a 1955 american film noir crime film directed by phil karlson for allied artists, written by daniel mainwaring and crane wilbur and starring john mcintire, richard kiley and kathryn grant. The film somewhat awkwardly begins and ends with brief newsreels that address the reallife events the film was based on. Ben mankiewicz introduces the phenix city story, 1955. Dirty money in the city coffers corrupted the city officials and soon the gangsters were running things, influencing city hall and infiltrating the police. If youre looking for booze, gambling or girls then 14th street is your destination.
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