Violence

Much of the team that made Monogram's Decoy of the year before such a startling little thriller re-upped for the same studio's Violence: Director Jack Bernhard, co-scripter Stanley Rubin, composer Edward J. Kay, heavy Sheldon Leonard (the second-string Raymond Burr, who, like Burr, would find his fortune in television). Lightning, alas, failed to strike twice, so Violence remains a typically flawed Poverty-Row production.

In the basement of the Los Angeles headquarters of the United Defenders – a pseudo-populist scam organization to fleece angry veterans – a young recruit who stumbled onto the truth meets his unpleasant end. (This crypto-Fascist group has affinities with The Black Legion of a decade earlier.) Upstairs, however, the forced cheeriness prevails, with the head of this personality cult (`True' Dawson, played by Emory Parnell) bidding his loyal secretary (Nancy Coleman) goodbye as she leaves for a vacation to Chicago. Little does he suspect that Coleman is an investigative reporter working undercover on an exposé of the racket, which will hit the streets as soon as she's safe in the Windy City. Leonard, one of his lieutenants, does have his suspicions about, as well as unresolved feelings for, Coleman, but can't find the evidence, so off she goes.

In Chicago en route to her magazine's offices, Coleman's cab crashes trying to elude a mysterious pursuer (Milo O'Shea). Hospitalized, Coleman wakes to find herself in a state of amnesia (of the trickiest sort: She remembers things that are convenient to advancing the story but forgets everything else). Back on the coast, she has no memory of her journalistic scoop and so thinks herself a loyal soldier for the United Defenders; she also believes she's engaged to O'Shea, because he told her so. And the plot lumbers on, with the murdered man's widow showing up to find him, and an all-powerful `Mr. X' looming darkly behind the whole operation....

Violence is riddled with holes and implausibilities (of the type that, in today's Hollywood, would all but guarantee a blockbuster). Rather transparently, it draws on themes and issues that sparked the early years of the noir cycle: The dissatisfaction of returning veterans and post-war labor strife (and might the demagogue's name `True' be an echo of then-president Harry S Truman's?). But the topical references prove no more than gimmicks for a quick-and-dirty production that has little coherence or resonance.

Reporter Ann Dwire is undercover in a neo-fascist group as the secretary to the leader, True Dawson. They are recruiting disgruntled veterans returning from the war. She is ready to escape to report her findings to her Chicago newspaper but group member Fred Stalk is suspicious. Her cab is being pursued and ends up in a crash. She is left with amnesia and everything else burnt up in the fire. She recalls her fake identity Ann Mason. She returns to her fake job and speaking in support of the movement.

The premise is good but the execution is weak. There is good violent plot but it falters on execution. Lead actress Nancy Coleman is fine. It's mostly in the weak production and direction. I do like the general premise but this is not good.

This 1947 Poverty Row film noir about some racketeers organizing returning vets into strong-arm squads has an awful score of overwrought music from Edward J. Kay. Nancy Coleman is investigating the organization, but comes down with amnesia.

Since we know the set-up before she comes down with memory loss, there's no sense of noirish what-in-hell-is-going-on suspense. It all comes down to a cozy non-mystery shot on small sets with occasional bouts of rear projection, punctuated by loud, frantic musical stings. Besides Coleman, we get Sidney Sheldon, Michael O'Shea and Emory Parnell.

From 1947, Violence stars Nancy Coleman, Michael O'Shea, Sheldon Leonard, and Emory Parnell.

Coleman is Ann Mason, a reporter working undercover as a secretary for United Defenders, a fascist group using veterans by taking their money and encouraging them to be violent over issues such as housing and jobs.

Veterans had problems readjusting to society after World War II, and in this and another film I saw recently, their disenfranchisement made them a target for both communist and fascist groups.

Nancy is gathering evidence for her editor in Chicago, but on a trip there, she's in a car accident and develops amnesia. She meets a man, Steve (Michael O'Shea) who claims they are engaged.

Little by little, Ann remembers she works for the Defenders but not that she's undercover. Steve returns to Los Angeles with her and goes to work for the organization.

Ann begins to believe Steve is working against the Defenders and informs her boss. Trouble follows.

Cliche-ridden noir with Coleman constantly touching her head when she's trying to remember. And we all know what brings a memory back - another hit on the head.

Well, Ann falls and hits her head. A woman staying with her, whose husband was murdered by the Defenders, puts a dry handkerchief over her forehead. Big help.

You knew that charming, lively Michael O'Shea could never be evil. Sheldon Leonard was your typical meanie.

Interesting for what was going on in the US at the time, but not great.

"Violence" is a 1947 low budget black and white film dealing with the problem of veterans adjusting to a society that seemingly doesn't provide adequately for their post-war needs. Most viewers today may not understand the topic but in 1947 this was a major topic as returning servicemen tried to adjust to society and as society tried to absorb them back into the workforce and life in general.

During the War strikes were forbidden and women took on major roles in the workforce. With millions of returning servicemen looking for jobs, businesses took the opportunity to reduce wages. So jobs were in short supply and wages were low. Many industries were scaling down from war production. Strikes began in major industries.

In the Great Strike Wave of 1945-46 Truman threatened to take over railroads if strikes persisted. Democrats lost the election in 1946 and the Republicans passed the Taft-Hartley Act limiting the ability of unions to strike.

On top of this, many veterans had mental health problems that were not being treated, promoting Truman to establish NIMH in 1946.

In the middle of this turmoil, HUAC was created in 1945 and became extremely active in 1947.

By the early 50s the Cold War was well in progress and the U.S. experienced enormous prosperity, and this transitional period between 1945 and 1950 was forgotten.

This film, as ordinary as it is, reflects some of the concerns of the times.

My favorite films about this era are "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946), "Till the End of Time" (1946), "Home of the Brave" (1949), and "The Men" (1950).