Movie for the Evening: "Crossfire" 1947

Movie for the Evening: Feature

“Crossfire” 1947

The movie “Crossfire” is a film noir featuring Robert Young, Robert Mitchum, and Robert Ryan (the three Roberts) explores the dynamics at work in the period in America just after World War II. At the heart of this “who done it” is an examination of what can cause racial hatred and how it can become homicide.

Robert Ryan is a high strung returning soldier looking for a target for his confusion after all the scores had been settled with the “official” enemies of his life. The psychological aspect of this confusion is at the heart of the film.

During a night out, and about to be decommissioned, Montgomery (Ryan’s character) attempts to bend the ear of Samuels (played by Sam Levene) but is brushed aside as Samuels befriends Michell (played by George Cooper) instead. This stimulates Montgomery’s anti-Semitic hatred that explodes at Samuels’ apartment where Montgomery barges in uninvited.

One murder follows another and the beast of hatred will only be satiated by Montgomery being gunned downed like a dog.

There is an appearance by Gloria Grahame as Ginny, a street wise dancer for hire at a local club. A favorite in any film.

This is an unusual film that deals with an uncomfortable subject, the intelligent direction by Edward Dmytryk makes it all work.