alicegriffin

Notwithstanding the realism of the post-WWII era, this film was simply too unsparing of human nature to be popular in America at that time. Indeed, depending on one's sensibilities, the violence is somewhat disturbing even in 2021.

There's also the miscast Stanwyck, who is simply too long in the tooth for the role of a nubile (she was 42) and, as in many of her films, her Brooklyn accent undercuts her acting talent, and is simply not credible as someone from the American Southwest.

The film is worth seeing for Huston's and Bondi's performances. Both are outstanding.

This could be a good remake with the right cast.

The English actress wasn't very well known in America despite having appeared in several films, including the worthy 'Charlie Chan in London' entry in that series, where Barrie ably plays a socialite.

In this film her character doesn't become significant until near the end but when she steps forward she offers the only real dramatic merit in this enjoyable but otherwise pedestrian '40s romp.

Initially I was reluctant to see a movie that got such a low rating despite my respect for Naomie Harris' talents but the trailer made me change my mind and I'm glad I did.

My standards for a good movie are few: solid script, decent writing, and credibility. I'm just as annoyed by wasting the price of a ticket on a lousy blockbuster as on a minor film, and as someone who knows good movies (most of the best (whether big budget or potboilers) were made from the 1930s to the 1950s during the Golden Age of Hollywood) I'm rarely disappointed by a film in the public domain that I watch for the first time on YouTube and am usually disappointed by the current release films for which I overpay.

That said, this little thriller was very, very well made and worth the price of the ticket (if any film is worth $17.99). It features a tight, well-written story, solid acting and direction, and is, alas, all too credible.

I have to agree with another reviewer that people sensitive to criticism of law enforcement are probably responsible for the bad reviews. That is unfortunate as this is a movie that deserves both very wide release and viewing. I would like for Naomie to get another Oscar nod but suspect that enemies of the film will make sure its merits go unrecognized (e.g., 'First Reformed' is another example of an excellent little film (dealing with Christianity, which is not popular in our time) that went completely unrecognized by the AAMPS).

I rarely give a film a rating above '7', but this one deserves its '8'.