Crossfire (1947)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

John Paxton (screenplay)
Richard Brooks (novel)

Release Date:

22 July 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

Sensational? No, it's dynamite!

Plot:

A man is murdered, apparently by one of a group of soldiers just out of the army. But which one? And why?

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | Sergeant | Death | Flashback | Friend

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Young	...	Finlay
Robert Mitchum	...	Keeley
Robert Ryan	...	Montgomery
Gloria Grahame	...	Ginny
Paul Kelly	...	The Man
Sam Levene	...	Samuels
Jacqueline White	...	Mary Mitchell
Steve Brodie	...	Floyd
George Cooper	...	Mitchell
Richard Benedict	...	Bill
Tom Keene	...	Detective (as Richard Powers)
William Phipps	...	Leroy
Lex Barker	...	Harry
Marlo Dwyer	...	Miss Lewis

Also Known As:

Cradle of Fear (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #12325)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Because of the film's tight shooting schedule, it was able to beat the similarly themed Gentleman's Agreement (1947) into theaters by three and a half months.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: 22 minutes in. Shadow of camera and dolly visible just to the right of the hotel door as the character played by Richard Benedict enters the hotel.

Quotes:

Police Captain Finlay: You still don't know where he is?
Keeley: No. I didn't know when I came in here, and I haven't suddenly gotten any brighter.

Movie Connections:

References Cornered (1945)

The depth of Robert Ryan's acting

Edward Dmytryk directed this shadowy movie about a murder investigation involving demobilized military personnel. Robert Young gets to lecture us about hatred, Robert Mitchum walks through most of this picture, and Gloria Grahame revisits the feistiness she exhibited in "It's A Wonderful Life." It's Robert Ryan who gets at the heart of the matter: anti-semiticism. He goes so deep into his role as Monty Montgomery (Imagine parents named Lawrence calling their son Larry!), that the drama sits squarely on his shoulders, and he is more than up to the challenge. Without him, the movie would be commonplace. Ryan has played a number of memorable villains in his day ("Bad Day at Black Rock;" "Billy Budd"), but this performance put him on the map. With Sam Levene as the murder victim.