The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Directed by Fred Zinnemann, this thrilling drama stars Van Heflin as a man who finds himself being pursued by another (Robert Ryan) from his past. His wife is played by Janet Leigh, and a woman who later assists him is played by Mary Astor.Under Zinnemann's masterful direction, the film's story grabs you from the start and doesn't let go until its end. Heflin, who seems to have a penchant for playing unsympathetic characters, must account for a past failing which crippled Ryan's, who's playing a typically intense character and the one intent on making Heflin's pay for it. Leigh, in only her fifth film, is not given much to do besides emote and cry. However, the nearly unrecognizable Astor, in the twilight of her career, makes an impact as a woman who's been around that meets Heflin's character in a seedy bar and has nefarious connections who can "help". Given Heflin's character's complicity, it would be incorrect to classify this one as noir, though three time Oscar winner Robert Surtees's B&W Cinematography does give it that feel.Frank Enley (Heflin) has established a nice construction business such that he's received community recognition for his work. He lives in a nice suburban home in Santa Lisa, California with his wife Edith (Leigh) and two year old son. Unfortunately, the accolades Enley's received calls attention to his whereabouts to Joe Parkson (Ryan), a man who forced Enley to pick up his family and move from Syracuse some years earlier. The film actually opens with the limping Parkson retrieving a gun from his own apartment back East and boarding a bus to Los Angeles. His pursuit leads him to Enley's residence right after he'd departed for a fishing weekend with next door neighbor Fred Finney (Harry Antrim). Fred's wife Martha is played by Connie Gilchrist. When Parkson arrives at Enley's home, Edith exhibits the innocence of the 1940's when she tells him where her husband has gone. Parkson doggedly pursues Enley to the lake and it is clear that his intent is to kill him. Familiar character actor Will Wright plays a man who rents cabins and boats at the lake that tips off Heflin's character that he's being sought by a limping man. Enley instantly knows he's got trouble and, to the surprise of his neighbor, abruptly ends their holiday.The scenes which follow eventually reveal (e.g. to us and his wife) Enley's reason for avoiding Parkson. Both were in the war together, a bombardier crew that was shot down and taken to a German P.O.W. camp. After nearly starving to death, Parkson and some other men try to get their Senior officer Enley to join them on an escape attempt. Knowing that the last men who tried were all shot and killed by their captors, Enley tries to persuade them not to do it. Convinced he could save his men's lives, Enley tells the German Commandant about the escape plan and thinks he's made a deal to not harm them. Of course, the Germans shot & killed the would-be escapees though Parkson, apparently wounded, did survive and make it to safety. While describing the situation to his wife, Enley admits to himself that his motivation was hunger, and that he'd eaten well for the information he'd provided.Parkson's girlfriend Ann (Phyllis Thaxter) also arrives in Santa Lisa; the primary reason for her character is to fill in the blanks regarding Parkson's motivation. She tries unsuccessfully to stop him. Parkson's pursuit of Enley continues to a trade convention in L.A.; Dick Elliot plays a drunk conventioneer). When Enley sees Parkson, he punches him and then runs off through the streets where he eventually turns up at a seedy bar near closing time. There he meets Pat (Astor), who recognizes Enley as a "fish out of water" and decides he must need help. After she learns that he has a business worth $20,000, she takes him to an after hours (e.g. illegal) bar where she introduces him to Gavery (Taylor Holmes), a lawyer who's really a "fixer". In somewhat of a drunken stupor, Enley "agrees" to hire a thug named Johnny (Berry Kroeger) to take care of Parkson.When Enley later realizes what he's done and learns that Johnny has effectively planned a hit on Parkson, he tries to intervene. Justice is served when Enley's efforts are "rewarded" and he is the one shot by Johnny, when he accidentally takes the bullet meant for his pursuer. Only injured, Enley lurches at Johnny, who's attempting to flee the scene in his automobile, then struggles with the brute hanging out the window of the car as it eventually careens into a light pole and explodes into flames, killing them both. Parkson limping and vainly pursuing the car, is met by Ann and tells her he didn't do it. When someone in the crowd recognizes Enley and asks "who's going to tell his wife", Parkson replies "I will", then walks away from the crash scene with Ann, arm in arm.

"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.