Crossfire (1947)

Please don't spend money on this.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

You can Insert any Class of People into the Open Ended Sentence...I hate ____. Because that is Really what the Movie is about Hate or Bigotry. The Film's Source Material was Homosexuality, the Film Inserted Jews into that Blank Above.When Robert Young's Detective gives His now Famous Speech, He says it All, even Ending with, "...once You Continue Hating, where will it Go, "...to people with striped neckties." This is a Daring and Dark Excursion, via Film-Noir into the Twisted Mind of a Hater, a Bigot that Loses Control and Murders in a Drunken Rage.There is a an Off-Kilter Ambiance to the Whole Film with Distortions and Dream-Like (drunken) Sequences Shot with Odd Lenses and Sharp Shadows and Soft, Out of Focus Scenes, and High-Contrast and Low Lighting. It Really is Film-Noir, not Only in the Look but with the Returning and Confused Soldiers Hastily Re-inserted into Public-Life, some Faring Better than Others.Paul Kelly makes an Odd Appearance as a Completely Whacked Ex-Lover of B-Girl Ginny and it is Another Example of just How out of Sync Things were at War's End. It Becomes Slightly Surreal and He and Ginny are a Civilian-Military Counterpoint to Film-Noir's Take on an Out of Orbit Society that had yet to Settle into a Superficial, but Embraced, Post-War America.It is a Powerful Film and One of the Few Noirs to get Recognition from the Academy. It didn't Win any but had Several Nominations Including, Picture, Director, Script, Robert Ryan, and Gloria Grahame.

In the Post WWII, Police Captain Finlay (Robert Young) investigates the murder of the Jewish Joseph "Sammy" Samuels (Sam Levene) in his apartment after a beating with his team. Out of the blue, soldier Montgomery "Monty" (Robert Ryan) comes to the apartment and tells that three soldiers – Corporal Arthur "Mitch" Mitchell (George Cooper), soldier Floyd Bowers (Steve Brodie) and himself – had been in the apartment drinking with Sammy, and Mitch would have been the last one to leave the place. Finlay finds Mitch's wallet on the couch and he becomes the prime suspect.Finlay visits Sergeant Peter Keeley (Robert Mitchum) and he tells that his friend Mitch is a sensitive artist incapable to kill a man. Keeley decides to investigate the case to protect and clear the name of his friend. When Keeley discuss the evidences with Finlay, the captain concludes that Mitch did not have the motive to kill Sammy, who was a stranger that he met in a bar. Now Captain Finlay has another suspect and he decides to plot a scheme to expose the assassin."Crossfire" is a great film-noir, with top-notch director (Edward Dmytryk) and cast with three Roberts - Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan and Robert Young; excellent story of murder and prejudice; magnificent screenplay that uses flashbacks to disclose and solve the mystery; and very impressive quotes. The theme – hatred against Jews – is unusual and this is the first time that I see a film-noir with this type of sordid story (and without the femme fatale). My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Rancor" ("Rancor")

In shadowy Washington, DC, an unidentifiable man beats another man to death, then leaves with his drunken companion. A girlfriend calls pipe-smoking police investigator Robert Young (as Finlay). He begins to question the suspects - a group of discharged military men enjoying relative peace after the end of World War II. First arriving on the scene is Robert Ryan (as "Monty" Montgomery); he expects to find a friend who was with the victim earlier. Next questioned is soldier Robert Mitchum (as Peter Keeley); he tries to steer Mr. Young away from the number one suspect - distraught George Cooper (as Arthur "Mitch" Mitchell)..."Crossfire" has outstanding direction (by Edward Dmytryk), black-and-white photography (by J. Roy Hunt) and performances. RKO and producer Adrian Scott were rewarded with five "Oscar" nominations; probably, Mr. Ryan's startlingly bigoted characterization stood the best chance of winning; he was nominated in the "Supporting Actor" category, but finished as #5 in the "New York Film Critics" contest for leading actor. "Best Picture" consideration was also noted by "Film Daily" (#7 for the year), the "National Board of Review" (#4) and "New York Film Critics" (#3) - remarkable for what was considered a "B" (minor) film...Top-billed Young has one of his best roles and Mr. Cooper's sensitive artist is an amazing film debut. Almost posing as a red herring, Mr. Mitchum is subdued. In smaller roles, browbeaten Steve Brodie (as Floyd Bowers) and "hillbilly" William Phipps (as Leroy) play extraordinarily well against Ryan. Another award nominee, "working girl" Gloria Grahame (as Virginia "Ginny" Tremaine) is great with both Cooper and her dishonorably discharged husband Paul Kelly. Also benefiting from Mr. Dmytryk and the groundbreaking "hate crime" story are victim Sam Levene (Joseph "Sammy" Samuels) and heartbroken Jacqueline White (as Mary).********* Crossfire (7/22/47) Edward Dmytryk ~ Robert Young, Robert Ryan, Robert Mitchum, George Cooper

Edward Dmytryk was one of the most reliable of workman-like directors working in Hollywood from the 1940s to the 1960s. He was responsible for classics like FAREWELL MY LOVELY, THE DEVIL COMMANDS and THE CAINE MUTINY. CROSSFIRE isn't the best film on the Dmytryk CV, but even a so-so Dmytryk movie is better than most other directors' on their good days.The plot revolves around a group of men recently released from war-service in the US Army, so recently that some of them still wear their uniforms. After an afternoon's hard drinking, a man the soldiers meet in a bar is murdered. It looks like one of the soldiers, Mitch Mitchell (George Cooper), did it, but the police flounder when it comes to finding a motive. The soldier's sergeant, Keeley (Robert Mitchum) is convinced the suspect didn't do the crime and sets out to uncover the true killer himself.The always-terrific Gloria Grahame plays an embittered bar hostess who might be able to give Mitch the nearest thing to an alibi he's going to get. Not sure I like Gloria as a bleached blonde, but the look suits her character exactly.Mitchum's performance is even more laid-back than usual and you get the feeling he thinks he's slumming it in this low-budget picture. But his presence still contributes some gravitas and focus to the story.The fact is that it's not much of a mystery. You'll probably figure out who the killer is first time you lay eyes on him, but even so, I enjoyed watching the plot unfold and seeing how men who fought together show such loyalty to one another despite having little else in common. I'd quite happily sit through this again ...