Director: Fred Zinnemann
Producer: William H. Wright
Screenwriter: Robert L. Richards
Cinematographer: Robert Surtees
Music: Bronislau Kaper
Studio: MGM Pictures 1948
Main Acting: Van Heflin and Robert Ryan
Many film noirs deal with the aftermath of World War II and the effects it had on the surviving combatants and their families. Act of Violence is one that is explicit in drudging up the pain that was still fresh on the minds of most viewers. Frank Enley (Van Heflin) is a former POW who has made it home and is looked upon as a war hero in his community. He succeeded in claiming a stake in the American dream: he’s got a good family, a stable job, and a loving wife (played by Janet Leigh). He leads an idyllic life in a normal suburb with citizens that respect and admire his bravery and courage. The fact that a menacing ex-soldier who walks with a limp shows up to rattle this perfectly cozy world indicates a past that maybe is not as admirable as everyone was lead to believe. Past infractions come bubbling up to the surface and we realize that the world is not as sunny of a place as Enley has created for himself. The grim reaper has arrived and he is looking to collect for past sins. Though this figure of death is not a supernatural being with cloak and scythe, but a crippled former comrade who is determined to set things straight.
Robert Ryan plays the role of Joe Parkson, similar to that of a slasher-film boogieman. He is relentless in his pursuit of Enley and is obsessed with having his former captain atone for his immoral choices during their determent. We soon learn that the war hero actually aided his German captors with quelling an uprising and American prison break (which Parkson led) in exchange for food and leniency. All this information has been kept from Enley’s wife and the rest of their community. Since all the soldiers, except for Parkson had been killed, he is the only one privy to such damaging information. During the initial stalking phase, we feel sympathy for Frank because we believe the false lie he has fostered upon us and all his immediate associates. He abandons his wife (similarly to how he deserted his fellow compatriots; his lack of moral fortitude is still present) and is hunted down by her at the Builders Convention. Then we learn the ugly truth about his misdeeds. His explanation is simply not satisfactory and we are resigned to the fact that his American dream is a big lie forced upon the world by the spilled blood of innocent soldiers.
“Do I have to spell it out for you? Do I have to draw you a picture? I was an informer. It doesn’t make any difference why I did it. I betrayed my men. They were dead. The Nazis even payed me a price. They gave me food and I ate it. I hadn’t done it just to save their lives. I talked myself into believing that he would keep his word. But in my guts from the start, I knew he wouldn’t. Maybe I didn’t even care. They were dead and I was eating and maybe that’s all I did it for. To save one man…me.”
Besides a critique on the suburban normalcy and conformity that can often disguise possible dark secrets about our dreams and aspirations, Act Of Violence also touches on the subject of survivor’s guilt. This must have been something that was affecting many people at the time. These two men have endured a trying ordeal and have not been able to put those demons to rest. Parkson is Enley’s demon rising from a fog-bound past, while Parkson’s demons are his slain friends that never escaped the POW camp. Both are almost apathetic towards vanquishing these deep-down, tumultuous feelings once they come to the forefront. Enley, while trying to evade Parkson, also grows wearily defeated. He finally realizes he cannot run from the guilt and welcomes death as a final escape from all the pain. Parkson has denied himself the pleasures of life and the love of his caring girlfriend. He has a one track mind that is motivated by his overriding sorrow of surviving where others perished. Even at the conclusion, Ryan’s face does not show traces of the weight that was lifted. He is afforded a certain comfort, but it feels more like a respite than a permanent satisfaction. He still has to deal with living and continuing on with the burden of life while others are gone forever.
Act Of Violence is a noir classic that happens to also be my favorite Fred Zinnemann film. I know this is an extreme minority opinion, but I must be honest with myself and everyone reading. Many scenes really stand out for me. Enley’s slow descent into a moral abyss is steady and irreversible. After seeing Parkson enter the builders convention, he flees in horror and is shown running endlessly down a flight of stairs into the underworld he will now frequent. He is as far away from the movie’s beginning as possible. The sunny suburbs have turned into a shadowy purgatory that is inescapable. The montage of his entrance into this void is lovingly accompanied by some ominously rousing music by Bronislau Kaper. In his new dwellings, he meets an opportunistic prostitute played by Mary Astor. Her beauty from The Maltese Falcon is now replaced by an aged, rough existence. The iconic shot of Van Heflin running through a darkened tunnel while hearing the voices of his past is powerful stuff, “Don’t do it, Joe!!!” The agony on his face is excruciating and explodes with pained ferocity. This tunnel setting was later used for a similar scene from Andrew Niccol’s 1997 sci fi/neo noir, Gattaca. It’s a nice little nod to a great 1948 film noir that doesn’t get enough credit as a major work.
What finally becomes of Enley is sad but also merited. In film noir, wrong choices must be corrected with the ultimate price you can pay. Our protagonist lived his life under false pretenses and took part in unspeakable atrocities. His fate was sealed long ago in that German prison. He feasted on the sustenance of doomed souls and accountability was in order…
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This is a great review of a film that I am ashamed to admit I haven’t seen. The subject is riveting, and I respect Mr. Zinemann, most notably for High Noon and A Man For All Seasons.
No shame necessary Frank. The movie is readily available through WB which included it in their noir series vol 4. I’m sure you will come across it at some point.
I’m with Frank I don’t believe I’ve seen this one even though reading this nice essay refreshes something in my mind like I might have seen some of it. Either way I’ll have to seek it out, it sounds like a great companion to Bob Clark’s seminal 70’s Horror flick DEATHDREAM that we covered during the Horror countdown. Anti-war allegories where the terrors of the battlefield are brought face to face with those at home (I suppose JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN works too, it’s sort of the creator of the sub-genre).
Try to check it out again Jamie. I think you would like it. Very underrated and well acted with superb direction.
Will do, already bumped it to top 3 on my netflix queue.
“Besides a critique on the suburban normalcy and conformity that can often disguise possible dark secrets about our dreams and aspirations, Act Of Violence also touches on the subject of survivor’s guilt.” Touche!!!
Act of Violence certainly remains a superb film noir & psychological drama/thriller. The film’s strongest aspects remain the claustrophobic atmosphere pervaded with guilt & paranoia, and wonderful narrative buildup – ably aided by great camerawork & acting.
Claustrophobic atmosphere is a great description Shubs. I love how his fleeing into an endless abyss of downwards stairs leads to an illicit underworld. A place he was worlds apart in the beginning of the picture now becomes his prison.
Maurizio, I only became aware of this one when it appeared in Warner’s Film Noir Vol. 4 box set but it made a strong impression. On the one hand, I was glad Ryan’s character didn’t suffer a monster or stalker’s fate, but I’m not sure if Heflin’s deserved the full measure the film dished out. Your final paragraph (“wrong choices must be corrected with the ultimate price you can pay”) reads like a credo for EC Comics as well as noir, and now that I think of it Act of Violence is like an EC story without the gore.
Never read any EC Comics (I’m not really a fan of comic books) but that line was a sly reference to the Production Code of the 40’s where the criminals always had to pay the price for their activity with death or imprisonment.
“Act Of Violence is a noir classic that happens to also be my favorite Fred Zinnemann film. I know this is an extreme minority opinion, but I must be honest with myself and everyone reading. Many scenes really stand out for me. Enley’s slow descent into a moral abyss is steady and irreversible…..”
Maurizio, that’s not at all an unreasonable position. As Frank noted HIGH NOON is one the director will be eternally remembered for, but this rather neglected film is the sleeper in his canon. The montage you speak of is terrific, as is Kaper’s score, one of the composer’s most memorable. I appreciate that anecdote about GATTACA, which I have not heard before.
And yes, this is a wholly extraordinary piece in every sense.
High Noon is okay but I find Act Of Violence a much better film. The reason I brought up Gattaca was when the police check point is happening in the tunnel, it seems to be the same location as the one that Enley runs through when he has his breakdown. It feels like a subtle nod to Zinnemann’s film by Niccol. Not based on any clear evidence though…
Hi! Maurizio Roca…
This is a very well-written, very descriptive and straight to the point when it comes to pointing out all the facts about Zinnemann’s film “Act Of Violence…” I have watched this film only…twice.
The first time with abandonment(Not really paying attention to the film) and the second time after having or featuring Tony d’Ambra’s writings on my blog.
Zinnemann’s “Act Of Violence”
After viewing this film the second-time I can in all honesty say, that Zinnemann’s “Act Of Violence” is one Of my favorite film noir.
Maurizio Roca said,”Act Of Violence is a noir classic that happens to also be my favorite Fred Zinnemann film. I know this is an extreme minority opinion, but I must be honest with myself and everyone reading. Many scenes really stand out for me. Enley’s slow descent into a moral abyss is steady and irreversible…”
I tried to capture his (Ensley) descend into darkness after watching the film and reading Tony’s review too!
Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee 😉
Happy to know that you love this one Dee Dee. I think it is somewhat underrated and not mentioned as a pinnacle film noir enough. I have watched it 4 or 5 times in my life and can’t wait for number 6. A great movie and the best from that fourth volume of noirs from Warner Bros.
I, good to my word, received this from netflix yesterday and watched it. It’s really what Hollywood used to do so well: make interesting stories that continually unravel until the conclusion. This film works because every five minutes it subverts what you think it is: first you think Ryan is a creepy murder/stalker complete with limp, then that’s subverted when it’s revealed his revenge lust is somewhat understandable. Then that blind rage is subverted when you learn he has a girlfriend that wants him to take the high road of forgiveness. Then both women get involved and develop a bound, as Enley hatches perhaps dubious ways out. It just keeps twisting and turning.
“What finally becomes of Enley is sad but also merited. In film noir, wrong choices must be corrected with the ultimate price you can pay. Our protagonist lived his life under false pretenses and took part in unspeakable atrocities. His fate was sealed long ago in that German prison. He feasted on the sustenance of doomed souls and accountability was in order…”
I actually think this idea in the film applies as a political point to all of America, or any victor in war. See both world wars, where America (and the Allies) was the victor, and in both instances the larger jingoistic idea of ‘stamping out fascism or racism’ is the selling point, and what we’re told as we pat ourselves on the back coming come. But then you realize the new found world power status, wealth, and leisure is on the backs of millions of innocent lives. Defeating Germany/evil is either World War wasn’t the point for the Allies, robbing the booty of Africa was (and Imperialism as a whole in WW1), splitting up and looting Germany was (see WW2). The ways in which you win a war can never he honest or heroic. How else can you argue that we were fighting evil and racism when many of our soldiers came home to those exact things in the mid 1940s?
In short, Enley’s sudden dubious social and economic status is symbolic of pretty much all of us. Just a great, interesting, and I think accurate point.
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I’m not sure if I’d put it over some of the stuff that came 22-50 (but hell these lists are all opinion as we’ve already said countless times, and the top 25 is always really interchangeable I bet), but it’s place in the Top 50 is undeniable. Great essay, great pick.
Good luck with the move Maurizio, don’t throw your back out.
An excellent review of one of the great noir films.
I finally found a copy at a film fair yesterday, after years of fruitless searching.
Good to see that Robert Ryan hasn’t been forgotten, his role in “The Set Up”
was equally as impressive.
Thanks for the compliment Rob. Act Of Violence has been easily available for some time on Warner’s noir collection volume 4. A great buy that includes another masterpiece They Live By Night, and a few other really good films like Crime Wave and Where Danger Lives. Still happy you acquired a copy, as it may be the most underrated of film noirs I would rate as 5 stars.