Force of Evil

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Plot: Based on an obscure crime novel titled Tucker's People, Abraham Polonsky's Force of Evil has attained classic status since its release in 1948, when film noir was thriving on the fringes...( read more  ) of the Hollywood studio system, where the shadowy attributes of noir were allowed their fullest expression. Which is to say, this gritty drama is drenched in greed, cynicism, and corruption of the soul, as embodied by John Garfield in one of his most memorable roles. He's perfectly cast as Joe Morse, a lawyer whose connection to a ruthless racketeer has nearly destroyed his sense of morality. His participation in a rigged numbers racket could prove disastrous for his high-strung older brother (superbly played by Thomas Gomez), whose small-time policy bank stands to go broke when the rigged numbers pay off--a financial windfall for Joe's powerful boss at everyone else's expense.

Joe's corruption is tempered only by remnants of guilt and his redeeming attraction to Edna (Marie Windsor), his brother's secretary, whose common decency gnaws at Joe's rotten conscience. But before Joe can rise from his self-made hell, Force of Evil takes him to the darkest pit of tragic humanity--a downward spiral perfectly expressed through George Barnes's exquisitely stark cinematography. In style and substance, this is quintessential noir, its plot unfolding with uncompromising toughness and intelligence. More's the pity, then, that director Polonsky was later victimized by the Hollywood blacklist, curtailing a promising career for two decades until Polonsky directed Robert Redford in 1969's Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here. It seems only fitting, then, that Polonsky's remarkable debut is now recognized as one of the finest dramas of its kind. --Jeff Shannon

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  jimbotender
  

  MCT:

  August 31, 2008

  Plausible facts on this one.Aggressive till it bleeds.I saw this film on a cine-club somewhere in Athens.All 5 of us who attended were shocked at the boldness of that period,no,wait: the undercover beauty of it.McCarthy was approaching and if Polonsky was given better chances,he'd do miracles with noir stories like this.The edge of small-time con-men as an alternative title.

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  mjgildea
  

  MCT:

  October 22, 2007

  Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Force of Evil is just kind of bogged down with mediocrity in it's uneven acting (with the exception of an icy performance from Marie Windsor) and often horrific dialogue in this tale about organized crime taking on a numbers racket. In its defense, Polonsky's direction is superb as is the cinematography, namely during the climax. When it ended, I just didn't care about any of the characters. Not quite essential film noir, but not a bad place to go if you hit all the major films already.

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  exnavykds
  

  MCT:

  September 29, 2007

  Here it is, 60 years after the release of this cinematic pearl, and I'm just now discovering it. The only thing that beats watching a film noir classic again and again is watching one for the very first time. Thank you John Garfield.

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  Barry Kelley
• 
  Beatrice Pearson
• 
  Howland Chamberlain
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  John Garfield
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  Marie Windsor
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  Paul Fix
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  Paul McVey
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  Roy Roberts
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  Stanley Prager
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  Thomas Gomez

• Rated: (PG)
• Directed by: Abraham Polonsky
• Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama, Classics
• Released: December 25, 1948
• DVD Released: May 11, 2004

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