Act of Violence

Film goers in the late 40s were accustomed to seeing movies that celebrated the fighting heroes of WWII. There were so many films designed to boost the morale of those who had loved ones fighting in the war or celebrate those who had given their lives for the cause of freedom. What we didn’t get a lot of was films that tackled the darker side of things, like PTSD or the struggles soldiers had after they came home. Films like The Best Years of Our Lives tackled it but those were few and far between. The world was more interested in celebrating valor than in focusing on the struggles our veterans were facing. 

Act of Violence may not be on the same level as The Best Years of Out Lives, but it does address some issues even that film didn’t: the horrors of POW camps and what those experiences may have done to the mentalities of those held captive. The story focuses on Frank R. Enley (Van Heflin), a survivor of a Nazi POW camp who has made a comfortable life for himself in a small town in California complete with a wife (Janet Leigh) and young child. But what his wife doesn’t know is that Frank moved the family there in an attempt to escape the fall-out from his time in that WWII prison camp.

During his time as a POW, Frank’s friend and fellow prisoner, Joe Parkson (Robert Ryan), attempted to escape along with several other men. Frank couldn’t convince him not to try, assuming they would be killed in the attempt. Taking the prison commander at his word, Frank alerted him of the escape plan believing he would go easy on the men. Instead, the prisoners were bayonetted and left to die with only Joe surviving the attack. Now, Joe has come back with plans to exact revenge for the deaths.

This leads to a series of confrontations that threaten to put an end to Frank’s life and the happiness of his young family. It also tests the resolve of Frank who is a genuinely good person who doesn’t want harm to come to his old friend. It goes down some dark paths before ultimately ending in the only satisfying, though ultimately depressing, way it could. This is a story about bad decisions and redemption lead by a commanding performance by Van Heflin who, even knowing what he did, we feel for him and emphasize with his current plight. Robert Ryan is also good, though not as well rounded a character as written. His character is aided more by the few scenes we get with his girl, Ann (Phyllis Thaxter), than by any one thing Robert Ryan is doing. Mary Astor has a supportive role here, too, as a bar patron who introduces Frank to someone who may be able to get him out of this situation…for a price. 

There is no real way to end this film and satisfy all audiences. The nature of this story doesn’t allow for the two former friends to come to terms and walk away, all forgiven and forgotten. It could have gone the direction of Frank having to kill his former friend in self defense but it is smarter than that. Instead, it ends on just the right note with Frank having to pay the price for his naiveté without turning his friend into a killer. Still, I wish there had been a final scene with his wife back home to really sell the tragic aftermath of Act of Violence. 1949 - 82 minutes