La mort n'était pas au rendez-vous

This movie and the above named movie were both made in 1945 (though The Two Mrs. Carrolls was released two years later), both starred Humphrey Bogart and Alexis Smith, and both had a plot involving a man who had murdered his wife. In fact, they are so similar that I had mixed the two films together in my mind. However, I recently watched both films just a few nights apart and found Conflict to be the better of the two films, though neither are great films. However, considering that an okay Bogart film of the 1940s is still very watchable, this shouldn't discourage you from seeing the film. The problem, I'm sure, for many is that both films are so against type for Bogey that you may feel turned off by his character. Plus, the plot is awfully hard to believe. BUT, if you suspend belief and just watch it for its entertainment value, this is a good film--particularly for the fine supporting performance by Sidney Greenstreet.

Conflict (1945)

*** (out of 4)

Nice thriller about a husband (Humphrey Bogart) who murders his wife because he's in love with her younger sister (Alexis Smith). The husband is in a bad car wreck but he fakes how serious his injury is so he will have an alibi as to why he couldn't be the murderer but soon he starts seeing his wife and begins to fear he might not have killed her. I was pleasantly surprised to see how good this picture was even though some stronger direction would have helped matters. While watching the movie I was entertained every step of the way but at the same time I couldn't help but wonder what this would have been like with someone like Hitchcock behind the camera. What works best are the performances with Bogart leading the way and doing a very fine job in the role of the husband who slowly begins to crack once he realizes he might not have done a very good job in terms of his murder plot. Bogart manages to play the character's nerves quite well and makes the role very believable. Smith was also very good in her role bringing a certain type of innocence that really makes her register with the viewer. He own scenes of doubt over whether she should be falling for her sister's husband were well done. Sydney Greenstreet plays the friend/psychologist who tries to keep Bogart calm throughout the matter. Greenstreet's calm, nurturing voice certainly makes him perfect for the character. The screenplay also works very well as we're given two different mysteries to keep in our mind. The first being whether or not the wife is actually dead or is something more supernatural going on. The second is, if she's dead, will Bogie get away with it. This film really has a lot of elements of a horror film or at least the Val Lewton productions that were being made around this time. This film is quite dark and really fits into that genre so fans of the Lewton films will certainly want to check this out.

This is an obvious though very entertaining film with a cast that includes the radiant Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet, and of course, the star, Humphrey Bogart at his sinister best. He plays an unhappily married man who is in love with his wife's sister (Smith). Greenstreet is a friend of the family.

Considering the circumstances of his death, it's always disturbing to see Humphrey Bogart with cigarettes, and if he's not smoking in this, he's lining them up in his cigarette case.

Mystery loving audiences will pick up the all-important clue immediately. Whether you do or don't, it's hard not to enjoy the most standard of films with a cast like this. As an added kick, the film has a psychological feature to it, which started to become all the rage toward the end of WWII.

...but it isn't really that unusual if you consider the films Bogart made after "High Sierra" and he began to get meatier film roles instead of the one-note gangster roles Warner Brothers often put him into from 1936 until 1941. Bogart was quite a versatile actor to put it mildly, and this film showcases yet another side of his talents.

Bogart plays Richard Mason, an engineer who is celebrating his fifth wedding anniversary with his wife Kathryn (Rose Hobart). However, Richard and Kathryn have been snapping at each other for the last few weeks. In a bit of a showdown before attending their anniversary party, Richard admits that he is in love with Kathryn's sister Evelyn, and Kathryn admits her short temper has been because she realizes this. Kathryn also states that she would never agree to a divorce. Realize that Evelyn (Alexis Smith) is innocent in all of this as Richard has been worshiping her from afar.

That night, on the way back from their anniversary party, Richard is gazing at Evelyn through the rear view mirror and has an automobile accident as a result of not paying attention to the road. Evelyn and Kathryn are unharmed, but Richard has broken his leg. Richard uses this injury, and the fact that no doctor can be sure at what point he'll regain the use of his leg, to come up with a rather clever scheme for killing his wife. After recovering his mobility, he continues to behave as though incapacitated. With everyone believing him immobilized by his injury, he intercepts his wife's car on a remote mountain road, blocking the road with his own car. He kills his wife and then sends the car off a cliff with Kathryn inside. A large group of logs go off the cliff with the car making a kind of eery formation on top of it and obscuring the wreck. The car does not catch fire.

Now all Richard has to do is go back to town undetected, still playing the cripple, and now playing the worried husband as well when his wife does not reach her destination. With Evelyn at his side to provide moral support, his plan is to wait for the alerted state police to find his wife's car and thus her body. Then he'll be free to court Evelyn. However, there is one snag - the police never find Kathryn's body or her car. On top of that, Kathryn's things that were with her when she died are showing up one by one - in Richard's desk, in his bedroom, in his luggage when he goes on a trip. The scent of Kathryn's perfume fills their room one night. He even sees someone who is dressed just like his wife on the street one day and follows her - she disappears into thin air. Whatever is going on here? Was Kathryn unharmed in this second accident as well? Is she playing with him? Unlike most mysteries, this one is not something that needs to be explained to the audience at the end, although it is. If you watch the film closely enough you'll figure out exactly what happened before it starts happening - but you have to pay attention. Highly recommended.

Film-noirs/mysteries have always fascinated me, and there are numerous good films to classics. Ones that are impeccably made, tautly scripted, well acted, entertaining and suspenseful. Another interest point is the always seldom less than watchable Humphrey Bogart, one of film's most iconic stars (and deservedly too), evident in particularly one of the greatest screen performances in 'Casablanca'. Sydney Greenstreet is also always dependable and a bright spot in much of his work.

Would never have heard of 'Conflict' if it had not appeared in my recommended for you section, and although it is not a great film as such there are no regrets having watched it. It's good fun and has an appropriate darkness and engrosses, even if it doesn't surprise. It has been compared here to 'The Two Mrs Carrolls', a relatively similar film made in the same period and also starring Bogart, and can see why. Do agree though that this is the much better film, having not cared for the rather bizarre 'The Two Mrs Carrolls'.

Bogart holds 'Conflict' together with ease and intensity and the main reason to see it, the role suits him very well even if it's not one of his best. Greenstreet is every bit as great, subtle and also typically imperious. The exchanges between them blister, with them gelling so well despite being polar opposites. The film is nicely directed and never felt dull. The music serves its purpose well.

'Conflict' is a good looking film, with suitably brooding and stylish photography in particular. The script is taut enough and while the story is flawed it has two diverting enough mysteries that keeps one on their toes, a nice dark tension in its mood and a few suitably unsettling sequences.

Some suspension of disbelief is needed though, as the film does get contrived and silly at times, and neither mystery has enough surprises. The conclusion especially is very obvious and also felt anti-climactic.

Also felt to a lesser extent felt that Alexis Smith came over as rather detached in her role.

In conclusion, good fun and fans of Bogart should find enough to enjoy. 7/10