Act of Violence

Act of Violence

Infobox_Film
name = Act of Violence


caption = Theatrical poster
director = Fred Zinnemann
producer = William H. Wright
writer = Story: Collier Young Screenplay: Robert L. Richards
starring = Van Heflin
Robert Ryan
Janet Leigh
music = Bronislau Kaper
cinematography = Robert Surtees
editing = Conrad A. Nervig
distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
released = December 21 1948 (U.S.A.)
runtime = 82 minutes
country = United States
language = English
amg_id = 1:83108
imdb_id = 0041088|

"Act of Violence" is a 1948 "film noir" directed by Fred Zinnemann and adapted for the screen by Robert L. Richards from a story by Collier Young, featuring performances by Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, and Janet Leigh. [imdb title| id=0041088|title=Act of Violence.]

Plot

Frank Enley (Heflin), a World War II soldier, returns home from the war after surviving a German POW camp while the rest of his comrades have been murdered. What he does not know is that one of his prison mates, Joe Parkson (Ryan), has survived. Parkson knows that Enley helped the Nazis in exchange for food while a prisoner, and Parkson is on a manhunt to destroy the so-called "war hero."

Enley, who is now married to Edith (Leigh), must confront his dark past and the truth that he's a coward not a war hero. Meanwhile, Parkson gets closer and closer to getting his revenge. Enley goes into hiding by leaving his confused wife behind and living on the lam.

Enley enlists the aid of a prostitute, Pat (Mary Astor), and a hitman (Berry Kroeger).

Cast

* Van Heflin as Frank R. Enley
* Robert Ryan as Joe Parkson
* Janet Leigh as Edith Enley
* Mary Astor as Pat
* Phyllis Thaxter as Ann Sturges
* Berry Kroeger as Johnny
* Taylor Holmes as Gavery
* Harry Antrim as Fred Finney
* Connie Gilchrist as Martha Finney
* Will Wright as Boat Rental Man at Redwood Lake

Critical reception

Roger Westcombe, writing for the Big House Film Society, considers the film unsettling, and wrote, "Act of Violence"... with a profundity, through its unsettling moral continuum, redolent not of Hollywood simplicities of good/evil but of the art one associates with Zinnemann’s European background. This contains a clue. Fred and his brother escaped their native Austria in 1938, but their parents, waiting for U.S. visas that never came, perished – separately – in concentration camps. The "survivor guilt" this awful closing engendered must resemble the emotional see-saw ride which fiction like the ethical pendulum of "Act of Violence" can only start to expiate." [ [http://www.bighousefilm.com/reviews/act_of_violence.htm Westcombe, Roger] . Big House Film Society, film review, 2008. Last accessed: January 11, 2008.]

The staff at "Variety" magazine liked the film and gave it a positive review. They wrote, "The grim melodrama implied by its title is fully displayed in "Actors of Violence"...tellingly produced and played to develop tight excitement...The playing and direction catch plot aims and the characterizations are all topflight thesping. Heflin and Ryan deliver punchy performances that give substance to the menacing terror...It's grim business, unrelieved by lightness, and the players belt over their assignments under Zinnemann's knowing direction. Janet Leigh points up her role as Heflin's worried but courageous wife, while Phyllis Thaxter does well by a smaller part as Ryan's girl. A standout is the brassy, blowzy femme created by Mary Astor - a woman of the streets who gives Heflin shelter during his wild flight from fate." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117796660.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 "Variety"] . Film review, December 21, 1948. Last accessed: January 11, 2008.]

References

Notes

External links

*
*
*
* [http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2008/08/act-of-violence-1948.html "Act of Violence"] at Film Noir of the Week (includes trailer)
* [http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews32/film_noir_classic_collection_v4.htm "Act of Violence"] at DVD Beaver (includes images)
* [http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/00/8/violence.html "Act of Violence"] at Senses of Cinema


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  • Act of Violence — es un film noir de 1948 dirigido por Fred Zinnemann, con uión de Robert L. Richards basado en una historia de Collier Young. Su protagonistas son Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, y Janet Leigh.[1] La película partició en la selección oficial del Festival …   Wikipedia Español

  • Act of Violence —    Voir Acte de violence …   Dictionnaire mondial des Films

  • act — 1 n 1 a: something done by a person in accordance with his or her free will a tortious act see also actus reus b: the failure to do something that one has a legal duty to do – called also negative act; 2 a …   Law dictionary

  • violence — noun 1 hurting other people physically ADJECTIVE ▪ considerable, excessive, extreme, great, large scale, serious ▪ fresh ▪ There are fears of fresh …   Collocations dictionary

  • violence — vi|o|lence W2S2 [ˈvaıələns] n [U] 1.) behaviour that is intended to hurt other people physically ▪ There is too much sex and violence on TV these days. violence against ▪ violence against women ▪ We condemn any act of violence . ▪ threats of… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • violence — n. devastating force 1) to resort to, use violence 2) excessive violence 3) an act of violence 4) violence against distortion harm 5) to do violence to (the decision does violence to our whole judicial tradition) rioting 6) communal; continuing;… …   Combinatory dictionary

  • act — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun 1 thing that sb does ADJECTIVE ▪ charitable, kind ▪ heroic, selfless ▪ a heroic act of bravery ▪ aggressive …   Collocations dictionary

  • act — act1 [ ækt ] noun *** ▸ 1 single thing someone does ▸ 2 law ▸ 3 part of play, etc. ▸ 4 performance ▸ 5 behavior hiding truth ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) count a single thing that someone does: act of violence/vandalism/terrorism/kindness/bravery/desperation …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • act */*/*/ — I UK [ækt] / US noun Word forms act : singular act plural acts 1) [countable] a single thing that someone does act of violence/vandalism/terrorism/kindness/bravery/desperation etc: No act of kindness is ever wasted. We strongly condemn any act of …   English dictionary

  • violence — 01. There is a great deal of evidence which suggests that [violence] on television can make children more aggressive. 02. The government is taking steps to reduce [violent] behavior in our schools. 03. Jackie was [violently] ill after eating a… …   Grammatical examples in English

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