Act of Violence (1949)

Fred Zinneman directed this and apparently it was forgotten and impossible to find for decades but I can whole heartedly recommend it to anybody who love "film noir" genre - instead of being just another, nice old black and white movie, this turned out to be such a good, strong thriller that I ended up fully alert and awake until the very end. Zinneman weaves excellent story where the all American good guy is haunted by some mysterious limping man but as the movie progresses we suddenly realize that roles are changing and viewer can't help but start questioning some really important moral issues here - contrary to simply passive watching, we started to THINK " hey, who is really a bad guy here?" - there is not much to talk about female characters here (wives and girlfriends are terribly one-dimensional in their "goodness" and meekness) until in the second part of the movie story proceeds into a criminal underworld where we meet elderly, tired prostitute played by brilliant Mary Astor (previously known for her elegance and aristocratic poise) who almost steals the whole movie with her realistic, powerful acting. Her character "Pat" is worlds away from all these wives and girlfriends who live protected from anything unpleasant, here is a woman living on her own by her own wits and still possessing far more humanity than anybody around her. Excellent, excellent movie.

"Act of Violence" from 1948, directed by Fred Zinnemann, is a strong noir starring Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh, and Mary Astor.Ryan is Joe Parkson, a man disabled in World War II who wants revenge against his old commanding officer, Frank Enley (Heflin). Parkson blames Enley for his disability and comes to town to kill him. Frank has been running from Joe for a while, as his wife (Leigh) mentions that they have moved to several different places. At this point Frank is an absolute pillar of the community in every way. But he's carrying a dark secret, and Joe knows it.Excellent acting is the strength here, with Heflin giving a fantastic performance of man who slowly disintegrates, and Ryan in a familiar role as a killer. Except, of course, there's more to the story than that. Mary Astor has a small but showy part. Janet Leigh is very young here, playing Frank's adoring wife. Taylor Holmes, in the small role of a sleazeball, does a fantastic job.Someone on this board made an excellent point. There were complaints that there should have been flashbacks showing what actually happened in the past. The point was made that a) It was a B movie and as such, flashbacks would have added too much time; and b) Because we were a nation of radio listeners back then, audiences had no trouble imagining what happened when they heard the story. I found this fascinating because it's so true and had not occurred to me. For years, we used our imaginations much more than we do today.

Frank Enley is being honored as a war hero in his small town of Santa Lisa. This WWII veteran has made a life for himself, his wife Edith and son Georgie. They appear to be living the "American dream" as it was known in the late 1940s. Joe Parkson, a man from Frank's past enters the picture with an agenda. He has come to kill his former colleague, whom he blames for his own injured leg and the death of a few of their fellow soldiers after a failed attempt to flee a German prison camp.Frank has everything to lose. His reputation in the community, his new life, his family, and the business he has built by himself. It is no wonder he has no desire to meet Parkson, who blames him for ratting on the group. Frank, who acted selfishly, under strenuous circumstances, thinking he could prevent the death of his fellow soldiers, must face his past head on. His guilt about the tragedy he caused haunts him everywhere he goes. His only choice is to stay away from Joe is to leave Santa Lisa in favor of the anonymity of Los Angeles, where he goes to a construction convention.Joe Parkson, determined to hunt him down, follows Enley to the hotel where the festivities are being held. Frank is able to get away. Knowing he is a hunted man, he goes into a dive, where he meets Pat, a woman who might be a hooker, with connections to the criminal element. She realizes there is an opportunity to sell Frank Enley to a man that will get rid of his tormentor for a price.This seldom seen MGM film from director Fred Zinnemann of 1948 was shown recently on a classic film channel. Based on a Collier Young story and a screenplay by Robert Richards, the film does not disappoint. Thanks to the excellent Robert Surtees cinematography, the director opened the action to the Los Angeles of that era. Mr. Zinnemman's camera angles are impeccable, plus the locales chosen to stage the action add texture to the drama. Mr. Zinnemann seemed to be a natural for this kind of genre, as he later demonstrated with his masterpiece "From Here to Eternity", about the effects of the war to the people that fought it, and in this case, the prisoners of war that had to deal with the violence of their captors and the actions they undertook to liberate themselves at whatever price. The guilt of Einley follows him no matter where he tries to hide.The two principals, Robert Ryan and Van Heflin was a coup of casting. Both actors were at the peak of their career. Both give solid performances as the former friends now turned enemies. A young Janet Leigh plays Edith, the wife without a clue as to her husband's past. Mary Astor did a superb job out of her Pat, a woman that would sell a man for cash. Phyllis Thaxter appears as Ann, the woman in love with Joe.

Stylistically, this is one the best films noir ever made. Beautiful classic noir cinematography from beginning to end. Taut direction and great performances from the entire cast make this a true classic.In one of his best roles, Van Heflin convincingly portrays a WW2 veteran who has rebuilt his life as a civic leader in small town America. Janet Leigh is perfect as his naive, adoring wife, and together they are living the American dream when suddenly his past comes back to haunt him in the form of menacing, gun-toting Robert Ryan. As the film unfolds, we learn about Van Heflin's tragic secret and the inner demons that torment his soul. Relentlessly pursued by Ryan, who is on a mission of vengeance, Van Heflin finds solace in the company of Mary Astor, who delivers an effective performance as an aging prostitute with useful connections. The tension builds relentlessly until Van Heflin finds redemption in a Western-style shootout beside the town's railroad tracks.This beautifully crafted film epitomizes the noir style and is not to be missed.