Until yesterday, I had never even heard of this film. Thankfully, I finally discovered Act of Violence, one of the hidden treasures in the film-noir canon of the late 1940s. Fred Zinnemann's film stars Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh and Mary Astor in an all-around wonderful cast ensemble, with a marvelously entertaining and engaging story and a wonderful L.A. noir atmosphere.
Zinnemann's film was one of the first examples of cinema dealing with the problems and mindsets of returning World War II veterans, but also addresses morality, marriage and the ethics of humanity in circumstances of war. There is a lot of depth to this story, and Zinnemann not only embeds it within a wonderful L.A. noir setting, but also decorates it around a thrilling pursuit. This film is not just a great thriller; it also delivers substance within its emerging terror. Such an underrated film; why isn't this film more popular nowadays?
Zinnemann's film was one of the first examples of cinema dealing with the problems and mindsets of returning World War II veterans, but also addresses morality, marriage and the ethics of humanity in circumstances of war. There is a lot of depth to this story, and Zinnemann not only embeds it within a wonderful L.A. noir setting, but also decorates it around a thrilling pursuit. This film is not just a great thriller; it also delivers substance within its emerging terror. Such an underrated film; why isn't this film more popular nowadays?