(2012-04-26 02:58:56)

Very good cast in average film

After casablanca and reuniting with Sydney greenstreet you'd think you are in for a great movie...enjoyable but with these stars you know it would be..the problem with the story is it seems far fetched. However the film also has alexis smith a prominent actress from the 40's,and bogart always had good female name stars to costar with him,something not all male leads did. Anyways like the later the two mrs carrolls(1947)this film was held up for release and its interesting that his casablanca image didnt mesh with these type of insane killers and the movies are memorable more for what they tell us of psychology than for the characters themselves. This is the real problem with these tales of insanity and here mixed with murderers...do the characters come alive or do the happennings seem far fetched. The acting is good, especially bogart's as he plays the part extremely well,a different role from his casablanca character though he said he was reluctant to play it. The plot begins with after 5 years of marriage,the couple celebrating their marriage,and the bogart character transferring his 'object' of love to his sister in law. Then at a marriage ceremony the psychologist played great by greenstreet tells of thinking disorders,which come on with sudden vigour causing behaviorial disorder,and then we see him killing his wife and pursue the love object. He pressures the police to arrest a poor dishevelled somewhat homeless and mentally ill probably person for the crime...but this gets him nowhere and eventually(like a shakespearean tale)the murderer is haunted by his conscienceinto revisiting the scene of the crime and the police nab him. The characters run through the paces not often believably,but an interesting look at early psychology and film noir in film,with great stars and good acting,but the material is stereotyped and jack warner on seeing it thought it didnt work and he shouldnt have cast bogart in the lead...although he would do it again a few years later in film with similar theme in the two mrs carrolls(1947)this time in london. This is the first time i saw this film...and like most of these old murder films its melodramatic and the police and psychologist seem all too good and clean...and the bogart character too evil and bad...if only life were like this and this takes away from the reality of this film!

Michael O'Keefe

(2012-04-25 18:07:22)

Psychological mind bender. Bogart in top form.

Remarkable black and white; average crime drama. Police struggle to crackthe alibi of a savvy wife-killer(Humphrey Bogart), who admits on his fifthwedding anniversary that he is in love with his wife's sister(AlexisSmith).Bogart begins to worry when he finds little signs that may indicate thathiswife(Rose Hobart)is not dead after all. Very good support from SydneyGreenstreet.

(2012-04-21 06:51:45)

A Guilty Conscience

Humphrey Bogart stars as an engineer who has fallen in love with the younger sister of his shrewish wife. Having recovered from a car accident faster than anyone suspects (his wife didn't receive a scratch), the seemingly incapacitated engineer kills his wife on a mountain road while everyone else thinks he's home in a wheelchair. But funny thing is, he starts finding clues that she might not be dead, despite the obvious evidence. Tricks of a guilty mind, or something else ...? Hmmmm. Bogart is pretty good as the wife killer, or at least good enough that you almost feel sorry for him. Alexis Smith is alright as the younger sister, while Rose Hobart is appropriately grating as the late(?) wife. The formidable Sydney Greenstreet is fun as the family friend/psychiatrist. The idea behind the story is a good one, although it is highly improbable. But the dialogue isn't nearly as sharp as it could have been and the characters played by Bogart, Smith, and Hobart aren't likeable or developed enough to be interesting. It's a good premise with a satisfactory climax, but it could have been better.

whpratt1

(2012-04-20 13:22:10)

Great Classic Film With Great Veteran Actors

No matter what film Humphrey Bogart performed in, you could alwayscount on a great performance and he was a born natural to the silverscreen until smoking was his down fall in 1957. In this film, HumphreyBogart(Richard Mason),"Caine Mutiny",'54, plays an entirely differentrole than he usually performed in and gets himself involved in a caraccident and shares the screen with Alexis Smith,(EvelynTurner),"Rhapsody in Blue",'45 who gives a great supporting role alongwith great Classic Actor, Sydney Greenstreet,(Dr. MarkHamilton),"Flamingo Road,"49, who tries to help Richard Mason come togrips with himself and face some very horrible facts about himself. Ifyou love Bogart and Greeenstreet in a great Classic film, just sit backand ENJOY.

Michael_Elliott

(2012-04-14 08:09:24)

Underrated Performance by Bogart

Conflict (1945) *** (out of 4) Nice thriller about a husband (Humphrey Bogart) who murders his wifebecause he's in love with her younger sister (Alexis Smith). Thehusband is in a bad car wreck but he fakes how serious his injury is sohe will have an alibi as to why he couldn't be the murderer but soon hestarts 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 thoughsome stronger direction would have helped matters. While watching themovie I was entertained every step of the way but at the same time Icouldn't help but wonder what this would have been like with someonelike Hitchcock behind the camera. What works best are the performanceswith Bogart leading the way and doing a very fine job in the role ofthe husband who slowly begins to crack once he realizes he might nothave done a very good job in terms of his murder plot. Bogart managesto play the character's nerves quite well and makes the role verybelievable. Smith was also very good in her role bringing a certaintype of innocence that really makes her register with the viewer. Heown scenes of doubt over whether she should be falling for her sister'shusband were well done. Sydney Greenstreet plays thefriend/psychologist who tries to keep Bogart calm throughout thematter. Greenstreet's calm, nurturing voice certainly makes him perfectfor the character. The screenplay also works very well as we're giventwo different mysteries to keep in our mind. The first being whether ornot the wife is actually dead or is something more supernatural goingon. The second is, if she's dead, will Bogie get away with it. Thisfilm really has a lot of elements of a horror film or at least the ValLewton productions that were being made around this time. This film isquite dark and really fits into that genre so fans of the Lewton filmswill certainly want to check this out.

(2012-04-13 20:42:56)

Overall a good film.

Fills family-noir genre well. Alexis Smith is a beauty and a believable draw. The complexity of the story develops well and mostly believably.I don't see how this film can be complained about really. If a person just did not like one of the characters they might bitch a bit.But overall this is an example of a well written and acted film that didn't become as famous as his other films since in noir the lead character is bad thus limiting your love for the bad-hero so these films arguably peak out at a 4 out of 5 but a very good 4 out of 5.

sol

(2012-04-10 14:36:23)

You shouldn't have said that Dick.. Even if you meant it.

**SPOILERS** Big time architect Dick Mason, Humphrey Bogart, had beenhaving he eye on his old lady's kid sister Evelyn Turner, Alexis Smith,ever since before he married the old bag, who's 14 years older the Eve,but just couldn't bring himself to make a play for her. It's Dick'swife Katherine, Rose Hobart, women's intuition that has her realize herhusbands feeling about her sister that cause a great amount of tensionbetween, in public, the loving couple. Dick finally gets his chance toput an end to his very unhappy marriage after he was involved in a carsmash up, by looking at Evelyn in the rear view mirror instead of theroad, that left him wheel chair bound with his passengers Evelyn andKatherine totally unhurt. Laid up at his house Dick with his mindworking overtime, but not on his job as an architect, concocts thisplan to get rid of his overbearing and nagging wife once in for all.Making like he can't walk which in fact he could Dick has Katherinetravel out to her, as well as his, favorite mountain resort-MountainSprings-telling her he'll meet her there later in the afternoon whenhis butler will give him a lift out there. Getting to Mountain Springsbefore Katherine Dick murders the startled woman, who never suspectedto see him there so soon, and dumps her and her car down a steep cliffwhere they gets crushed and buried by a sh*t load of fallen timber.With Dick thinking that he committed the perfect crime he now driveshome and plans to get it on with Evelyn after the mourning period forKatherine is over; Or so he thought!As things turn out in the movie Katherine instead of being killedsomehow seemed to have survived her, in what Dick wanted everyone tothink, tragic accident! Everywhere he goes, in the city or around thehouse, Dick sees things that Katherine had on her, when she wasmurdered by him, suddenly and unexpectedly pop up. It's as if shedeliberately left them here to screw up his already very confused andguilt-ridden mind. Even Dick's attempt to get romantically involved with Evelyn quicklyfalls apart in her sensing that he's not exactly playing with a fulldeck in his confusion in if his wife Katherine is still alive makinghim, if he ever marries Evelyn, a bigamist as well as a possiblemurderer! The final shoe to drop, on Dick's head, is when Evelynrealizing what a triple "A" nut-case he is and drops him for herboyfriend Professor Norman Holdsworth, Charles Drake, who's as nutsabout her as Dick is. The difference is that Norman didn't have tomurder or try to murder her sister in order to get Evelyn to fall inlove and marry him!The man who had Dick's number right from the start, as shown at thevery beginning of the movie, was non-other the legendary "Fat Man"-of"Maltese Faclon" fame-himself Sidney Greenstreet playing the part ofpsychoanalyst Dr. Mark Hamilton. It was Mark who in studying Dick'sbizarre behavior while his wife Katherine was both alive and latermissing soon came to the conclusion that he beside being slightlymentally unbalanced was also capable of murder as well! *** MAJORSPOILER**** But it was the gift of a rose that Mark, an armaturebotanist, gave to Katherine just before her fateful trip that tippedhim off to what that devious husband of her's Dick was really up to.That's when Dick not really knowing the significance of what that rosemeant, in his wife's disappearance, finally after covering all thebases ended tripping himself up!

leonard-1

(2012-04-10 04:34:57)

A moody film that invites speculation by the viewer

Every time I find myself driving on a lonely, densely wooded mountain roadwith precipitous drops just past the shoulder, I am reminded of the 1945movie `Conflict', a film that I view every year or so. When I recentlydiscovered that the story behind `Conflict' was named `The Pentacle',credited to Alfred Neumann and Robert Siodmak, I viewed `Conflict' again inorder to determine the relationship between the film and the word`pentacle'. A `pentacle' is roughly defined as `a five-pointed starenclosed within a regular pentagon, and enclosing a smaller regularpentagon'. The pentacle is a favored symbol among devotees of the occult,but `Conflict' is not a movie about the occult. The pentacle symbol appearsin `Conflict' as a visual motif, nagging the engineer Mason (HumphreyBogart) with memories of his terrible deed. The first appearance in thefilm of a clearly identifiable pentacle is a technical drawing depicting afive-sided bridge foundation to be used in shale by Mason's constructioncompany. Mason's imagination dreamily relates this drawing to a big pile oflogs hiding the wreckage of an automobile in a mountain valley, the resultof his grim obsession. Perhaps a `pentacle' of imaginary lines of mentalforce can be imagined by the movie's viewer as the engineer Mason (HumphreyBogart) appears in the center of a tense human pentacle, the five verticesof which are the psychiatrist (Sydney Greenstreet), Mason's wife (RoseHobart), the sister-in-law (Alexis Smith), the suitor (Charles Drake), and,finally, the police detectives. Changing the subject slightly, the tersedialog in `Conflict' always seemed to me to be very upper class English. Ihave often imagined the movie with a British cast of the period, with Masonperhaps played by Dirk Bogarde or Trevor Howard instead of Humphrey Bogart,the psychiatrist by Nigel Bruce instead of Sidney Greenstreet, and thepolice authorities cast as aloof Scotland Yard detectives instead offriendly American cops. However, the actual cast did just fine, in myopinion, with the result that I, for one, am an unreserved fan of`Conflict'!

Chris Gaskin

(2012-04-04 18:23:32)

"I know I killed my wife"

I recently picked up Conflict from a market stall and was very pleasedI did.After Richard Mason gets found out by his wife that he is having anaffair with her sister, he bumps her off and makes out she was killedin a car crash by pushing the car down a cliff. He then getshallucinations that his wife could still be alive including a letter inher writing and seeing "her" going into a flat. At the end, we foundout the real reasons for all this...This movie is rather atmospheric and has a good music score.The Cast includes the great Humphrey Bogart (The African Queen,Casablanca), his Cssablanca co-star Sydney Greenstreet, Alexis Smith(The Two Mrs Carrolls, which also starred Bogie), Rose Hobart andCharles Drake.Conflicty is a must for all Bogie fans. Excellent.Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

tostinati

(2012-04-04 01:16:58)

How do you spell "regret"?

Spoilers.I've just seen this film again for the first time in about 20 years.I've held it as a personal favorite from an earlier viewing, all thistime. It was with some trepidation, then, taking into account all thewater that has washed under the gates in the last 20 years in cinematicterms, that I came to Conflict again. Would it still stand up as anauthentic film experience? For me, it has. --And what's more, there are resonances here, this timearound, that flew over the head of a callow youngster. This go 'round,the film feels like nothing less than a meditation on regret, all thosemistakes you wish you could undo, all those unfulfilled longings ofmiddle age that arise out of a palpable sense of missed opportunitiesand fading last chances.Bogart is perfect as Richard Mason, an engineer who is trusted tooversee the building of a bridge or skyscraper, but can't repair a'simple little thing' like his damaged relationship with his wife.Mason regrets what has become of his marriage. He regrets feelingtrapped in a 'situation.' He regrets that the time line of eternity hasfailed to synchronize the lifetime of his wife's much younger sisterwith his own. A cool and respected professional outwardly, he is,inside, a flailing, discontented man. What finally pushes him over theedge may be his wife's casual mockery in the films first scene, apreparation for their anniversary party. Amid some standard jibes andold-couple bickering, she throws out this taunt: that she hopes henever tells Evelyn, her sister, he has a thing for her, because she'dlaugh at him. "I wish you hadn't said that" he thinks out loud. It's atthat point that we begin to feel the wheels of escape turning in theengineer's head. With just a few thoughtless words, the relationshiphas turned a corner, from merely unrewarding to personally demeaningand thus intolerable. Therein hangs the tale.By fade out, it is clear that Mason has one other towering regret:having killed his wife. The final scene, returned to the sepulcher hefashioned for his wife, Mason takes a long hard look with us alongsideat existential despair. The empty tomb is a metaphor for Mason's lifeas he must feel it at that point: The emptiness of an empty life, theemptiness of death and eternity for one who has lived such a life.Whatever he was waiting for hasn't shown up this existence, and won'tin the next. This is it for Richard Mason. Does it get any darker thanthis?Conflict isn't included in most noir references because, I believe,some of the more psychologically aberrant elements of the charactersand story are explained away rationally at the end, as part of a set upor a trick to trap a murderer. But I think the experts are mistaken innot having looked more closely at this film. The core of Conflict is,in fact, the purest noir: an existential view of life and death,struggles with doubts about ones own sanity, sexual longing as a spurto murder, and a cruel subversion of a cherished bourgeois institution(the 'perfect' marriage). If this isn't noir, then what is noircriticism but a transparent popularity contest-- like the earliestauteur criticism-- that speciously excludes films for having the"wrong" director, or for not having been endorsed by the "right"people?Ten stars. Definitely worth your time.

madmonkmcghee

(2012-04-03 19:34:26)

Marital strife? Kill your wife.

On their fifth wedding anniversary a man and wife find out theirmarriage is a big mistake, and he's convinced her sister is in lovewith him. If only he wasn't already married.....Since this is athriller he does the logical thing and pushes his wife off a mountaincliff. But then he gets signs that she may still be alive. Is he losinghis mind or is he just a sloppy killer? The whole movie hinges on thefact that the viewer must choose either option as being true. Unlessthere's a third option, and just about anybody who has ever seen orread a mystery story will figure out soon enough what that is. Oh yes,Sydney Greenstreet's character is a psychiatrist, now what on earthwould that have to do with any of this? I wonder...... Apart from therather obvious plot there's isn't much suspense to make this aneffective thriller.Bogart's character seems more annoyed than scared byany of the strange goings-on, like finding his dead wife's jewelry inher safe. And when he finds out his wife's sister rejects him, so thewhole murder was in vain he's more unpleasantly surprised than shocked.The ending can't really come as a surprise to anyone. This movie is notwithout merit, and Bogart and Greenstreet are worth seeing in anymovie, but i had higher hopes for this.

(2012-04-03 12:51:02)

Bogey can't survive a guilty conscience

Well to do engineer Richard Mason played by the venerable Humphrey Bogart has a perplexing problem in the rather average film noir "Conflict". He is desperately in love with Evelyn Turner played by the fetching Alexis Smith. Unfortunately he's married to her older sister Katherine played by Rose Hobart.So desperate is Bogey that while recovering from an auto accident suffered when returning home from an anniversary party thrown for him by family friend, psychologist Dr. Mark Hamilton played by a slightly less corpulent Sydney Greenstreet, he plots his wife's murder. Bogey tricks his wife into driving alone to the mountain lodge they frequent through some treacherous mountain passes. He beats her there and waylays her, plunging her car over a cliff with her in it. Unfortunately Bogey's plans go awry. Smith, while caring for Bogey can't allow herself to succumb to his charms owing to the memory of her sister.Although Bogey hasn't been implicated, Greenstreet is suspicious. In a carefully orchestrated ruse conducted by the police with Greenstreet's help, they create the illusion that Bogey's wife Katherine hadn't been killed and was still alive. They are hoping to pray on his conscience hoping he'll slip up.Even the considerable talents of Bogey and frequent supporting actor Greenstreet can't save this flick from being run of the mill. An extra star was given solely because of Bogart's involvement.

blanche-2

(2012-03-27 19:45:46)

a little "Gaslight," a little "Two Mrs. Carrolls," a whole lotta Bogie

This is an obvious though very entertaining film with a cast thatincludes the radiant Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet, and of course,the star, Humphrey Bogart at his sinister best. He plays an unhappilymarried man who is in love with his wife's sister (Smith). Greenstreetis a friend of the family.Considering the circumstances of his death, it's always disturbing tosee 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 clueimmediately. Whether you do or don't, it's hard not to enjoy the moststandard of films with a cast like this. As an added kick, the film hasa psychological feature to it, which started to become all the ragetoward the end of WWII.

LDRose

(2012-03-27 08:15:42)

Interesting psychological mystery

Conflict stars Humphrey Bogart as architect Richard Mason, not in lovewith his wife (Rose Hobart) and infatuated with her sister Alexis(Evelyn Turner) Events soon take a sinister turn, when Richard hatchesa plot to murder his wife on a remote mountain road. Just when hethinks he has committed the perfect crime, things start to happen whichplant seeds of doubt in his mind.Sydney Greenstreet gives a fine performance as a psychologist friend ofthe Masons who offers useful insights into the criminal mind and givesyou food for thought as he voices his opinion on the human psyche.With good performances all round, this is an atmospheric mystery whichwill keep you guessing to the end.

(2012-03-25 13:34:25)

Classy crime thriller that really keeps you guessing

"Conflict", starring the always excellent Humphrey Bogart is often dismissed as minor league noir and a fairly ordinary entry in Bogart's sterling collection of film performances. On the contrary I've always found it terrific entertainment that really keeps you guessing and asking questions right up to the final frame. It is a most handsome production with all of Warner Bros. expertise on show in the overall look and feel of the piece and in the excellent performances by the male and female cast members in this story of murder, deceit and mystery.The film begins with the fifth wedding anniversary for affluent married couple engineer Richard Mason and his wife Katherine (Humphrey Bogart and Rose Habart). To the outside world they appear to be the perfect married couple with everything in life, however in reality Richard is most unhappy with his critical demanding wife and is secretly in love with her alluring younger sister Evelyn (Alexis Smith),who also has strong feelings for Richard. Resulting from a car accident the night of the party where Richard breaks a leg but from which Katherine walks away without a scratch, Richard has time to consider his unsatisfying marital situation and hatches an elaborate plan to do away with his shrewish wife and replace her with her younger sister. Pretending to be confined to a wheelchair when in actual fact he is now able to walk with the aid of a cane, Richard executes a supposedly fool proof murder plan. He pretends to plan a trip away with Katherine to a remote mountain resort and at the last minute on the pretext of work has her go on ahead. He then drives via a shorter route to a mountain pass and there waits for and then murders Katherine, pushing her car over the side of the mountain. He then quickly returns home and resumes the role of the chair bound invalid. What was supposedly the perfect crime soon becomes a living nightmare as strange things begin to happen that seem to indicate that perhaps Katherine is not dead at all. Her perfume is smelt in the house, jewelry she wore the night of the murder begins to turn up, a pawn ticket signed by Katherine is mailed to him and Richard thinks he sees Katherine walking in the street and then disappearing without trace into a strange house. Richard begins to question his sanity and eventualy his uncertainity about whether his murder plan was successful drives him back to the scene of the crime where all is revealed and the truth comes out! Directed with suitable flair by veteran director Curtis Bernhardt and based on a short story by Robert Siodmak and Alfred Neumann, "Conflict", is a riverting little murder mystery that benefits greatly from the writing and four lead performances. Bogart is excellent as Richard Mason in a rather unlikeable role and is particulary good in the scenes where he sets up the deception and where the strange return of his wife seemingly from the grave begins to unhinge his tortured guilt ridden mind. This film reunites him with his "Maltese Falcon" costar the superb Sydney Greenstreet in a great performance as family friend Dr. Mark Hamilton who is the one who discovers the clue as to what actually happened on the night of the murder. Rose Hobart in a rare 1940's role is excellent in the small but telling part of murder victim Katherine Mason who might or might not be dead. Her's is not a likeable character and her few scenes with Bogart reveal her as a grating and demanding person responsible for always belittling Richard while of course still not deserving the fate she endures. Alexis Smith provides her usual glamourous presence to the role of Evelyn Turner, Katherine's younger sister who finds herself embroiled in the family complications. But as always in his films Bogart is the life and soul of the production. Menacing while showing a certain vulnerability and uneasiness with what he has done, he turns an unlikeable character into someone you do find yourself caring for. That is the sign of a truly great actor. "Conflict", may not be in the top draw of Bogie classics but it is a very enjoyable little murder mystery that stays in the mind long after seeing it. Warners spared no expense in bringing it to the screen and what we have is 80 minutes of terrific entertainment with character work as could only be done with such finesse in Hollywood's golden age. Enjoy the murderous marital goings on in Warner Bros. noir classic "Conflict".

dima-12

(2012-03-25 03:11:23)

Like every forties crime caper it lacks dirt and it has a lame ending

`Conflct` is a paradigmatic crime caper of the nineties.It is a story of ahusbands plan to murder his wife and how that plan goes wrong.Now,I mustsaythat a plan goes wrong in a new way but overall the whole story feels limpsince it needs far more explicit displays of greed and violence.The storyhas a nice twist and it is too bad that by the end there is a touch ofpredictability even though no one would`ve predicted such a lameending.

mgrindberg

(2012-03-19 06:40:37)

impact of conflict

This is one of Bogart's best movies. He could go either to hard bittenprivate detective Sam Spade or to paranoid types like the role he playsin this movie or what he did in Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Like mostHollywood movies, murder seems a bit unrealistic given the charactersas they are written out and portrayed. But get by the murder and thecontrived plot that follows, Bogart still is nothing less thanfantastic in this movie. Alexis Smith's part as his wife's youngersister is another reason not to throw this film in as a minor andforgettable Bogart effort. Leave it to a director like CurtisBernhardt, a guy who was known for making "women"s films to make a filmthat explores so well a man's infatuation and insecurity.

(2012-03-18 14:08:09)

Engaging Psychological Murder Mystery

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***I like to call some movies (such as "Mirage"), "A Hitchcock movie not madeby Hitchcock." "Conflict" reminds me more of one of his hour-long TVshows,although more intricate and finely wrought. It is done with the samesardonic approach to the horrors that result from entanglement inmurder.Richard (Humphrey Bogart) and Katherine (Rose Hobart) have the perfectmarriage. At least, that's what all their friends think, includingskeptical Freudian psychologist Dr. Mark Hamilton (Sydney Greenstreet),whotells Katherine he is amazed -- that five years ago, when they married, hewouldn't have given it the slightest chance.But the story opens with Katherine accusing Richard of having fallen inlovewith her younger sister, Evelyn (Alexis Smith). He denies it, butKatherinehas sensed the truth. She says she will never give Richard a divorce, andthat Evelyn would laugh at him if she knew how he felt.At their fifth anniversary party that night, Richard moons over Evelynlikea lovesick puppy. On their way home, Evelyn's announcement of herincipientdeparture causes Richard such emotional turmoil that he runs the car intosomething (we never see what). He awakes in the hospital, and his firstwords are, "How is Evelyn?" Only later does he ask about Katherine, anddoesn't seem too happy to hear that she has escaped without ascratch.Richard tries to make it up with Katherine, but she withers him with,"It'sfunny how virtuous a man can be when he's helpless." He uses the factthathis is bound to a wheel chair as the mechanism to enact a plan that he hasobviously made, although we don't see him making it. He pretends he can'twalk, even though he has recovered. He puts on a convincing show for thedoctor, who tells him that his problem is mental now rather thanphysical.Richard sets up a vacation at their lonely mountain cabin, ostensibly toaidin his recovery. At the last minute, he fakes a business emergency andtells Katherine to go to the cabin without him; he'll meet her there thenext day. He drives ahead, intercepts her on a lonely, fog-bound mountaintrack, and kills her.Dr. Mark, who has been a sort of second father to Katherine and Evelyn, issuspicious from the first. Evelyn returns, and Richard is consumed bydesire for her. She submits to his attentions, and agrees to spend sometime with him at the mountain cabin.But things are far from perfect in this hellish paradise Richard hascreatedfor himself. Katherine's possessions keep turning up, as do people whoclaim they have seen a woman dressed exactly like Katherine was on the dayof her death. Richard becomes increasingly convinced that she is stillalive somehow. The uncertainty gnaws at him, and eventually causes him tomake a fatal blunder.Humphrey Bogart presages his role as Captain Queeg in "The Caine Mutiny"here, portraying a madman not as a hair-tearing raver, but in a subtle,understated manner that is much more chilling. (If you like this kind ofcharacter, it was also played masterfully by Robert Mitchum in CharlesLaughton's "Night of the Hunter.")Alexis Smith is utterly fascinating, combining sirenish seductiveness withwholesome, girl-next-door qualities in a way that is rare, and difficulttopull off. It is easy to see why Bogart is so obsessed with her and dumpshis shrewish wife for her.Sydney Greenstreet is at his enigmatic best (although perhaps not quite asgood as in "The Velvet Touch"), warm, jolly and seemingly innocuous on theoutside, but coldly calculating, relentless and almost vicious on theinside.Although the ending of the film is abrupt and a bit weak, the denouementissuperbly brought off by Greenstreet. The acting is strong, and thelead-upto the climax is handled with suspense that will grab your interest andnotlet go.

chandler-47

(2012-03-11 04:43:27)

Excellent Noir

This is a not much known film noir directed by Kurt (Curtis) Bernhardt.Starring Humphrey Bogart as the architect Richard Mason who kills hiswife because he is in love with her sister the movie switches from astraight forward crime story to a mystery when Mason gets letters fromhis wife though he knows she is dead. This is an clever idea but it'svery easy for an experienced crime novel reader to pre-construct themovie after thirty minutes if you listen closely. This is somehow aweakness of the whole movie, nevertheless the interest is still therebecause of the other qualities the movie offers. The screenplay and theediting is fast paced, the dialog is sharp without any paraphrases, theacting is to the point. The plot line offers another question: Is thesister of Richard Mason's wife also in love with him as he thinks sheis? Since we see the movie from his point of view it is very unclear."Conflict" creates a dark atmosphere and we see Mason acting like animmoral person which we also can call existencialistic. He does notquestion his crime, it seems it is just something that had to be done.Nice appearance by Sidney Greenstreet as the psychologist Hamilton.

theowinthrop

(2012-03-10 16:13:54)

"The Subject Was Roses"?

Sidney Greenstreet was only in motion pictures for nine years, but he left amark as large as his physical presence. He was lucky to be taken throughhis initial appearance in films (he was past 60)by one of the great modernfilm directors (John Huston). And after THE MALTESE FALCON he was luckyenough to appear in a second film by Huston (ACROSS THE PACIFIC) co-starringhis "Maltese Falcon" friends Bogart and Mary Astor. With that build-up hewas set. Unfortunately, he also had been set in the role of villain, andfor as long as he was connected to Warners Brothers (which was most of hiswhole career) he was usually playing villains. There would be exceptions: He was in comedies like CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT, THE HUCKSTERS, PILLOW TOPOST. But most of his films were dramatic, with him playing the villains. Sometimes his villains were sympathetic, or the type the audience secretlycheered on (his Superintendent Grodman avenges himself and a wrongly hangedman in the course of the film THE VERDICT). Sometimes he destroyed a trulyevil figure (usually Zachary Scott), like in THE MASK OFDEMETRIOS.Because of THE MALTESE FALCON and the Warner Brothers connection,Greenstreet and Bogart found themselves teamed together, frequently withPeter Lorre or Mary Astor in these films as well. In most of themGreenstreet played a villain or a semi-sinister figure (his role inCasablanca is not a total villain in the film). But CONFLICT is a realexception. It was the only time Greenstreet and Bogart were in a filmtogether and Bogart is the villain, while Greenstreet is the man who solvesthe murder. It is good reverse casting (reminding us that Bogart's periodas a supporting actor in the 1930s was one where he played villains againstEdward G. Robinson or James Cagney). Greenstreet is excellent as the theman who uses psychological warfare to crack the killer's conscience. And itis so subtly done we never know what was the cause of Greenstreet'sdiscovery of the truth - it all comes down to an issue of horticulture...soto speak.