History Film / ActOfViolence

''Act of Violence'' is a 1949 FilmNoir directed by Fred Zinnemann, starring Creator/VanHeflin, Creator/RobertRyan, Creator/JanetLeigh, and Creator/MaryAstor.

* BitterSweetEnding: A complicated man is redeemed only through his death.

* DrowningMySorrows: Frank does this when he’s at a convention which makes him unable to hear or care about Edith’s warning.

* RedemptionEqualsDeath: Ultimately what happens to Frank: he agrees to set up a hit on Joe under duress but decides to run and save him from being shot, but he’s killed himself.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Both Frank and Joe aren’t integrating back into civilian life as easily as they should. Frank is able to keep up a happy façade, but eventually breaks down when the memories of his POW life haunt him. On the other hand, Joe could never possibly assimilate until he accomplishes his insane idea of justice.

* WarIsHell: Frank becomes a stoolie through extreme circumstances: he rats out his men because he’s starving and food is part of the deal. Does he deserve to die for this or is it something anyone under those circumstances would’ve done?

Frank Enley (Heflin) is living the life: he has a beautiful wife, Edith (Leigh), a comfortable home, and has a great reputation in his community. But the past is haunting him: Joe Parkson (Ryan) and Frank were pilots in UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo, but were shot down and taken in as [=POWs=].

* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Running away from Joe leads Frank to end up on the wrong side of town where he meets kind, yet dumb, prostitute, Pat (Astor). She tries to help him find a lawyer to see if he can deal with Joe, but the lawyer is extremely shady and is only out to make a quick buck and take advantage of Frank's desperate situation.

''Act of Violence'' (1949) is a FilmNoir, starring Creator/VanHeflin, Creator/RobertRyan, Creator/JanetLeigh, and Creator/MaryAstor. It was directed by Fred Zinnemann.

During the 2 years of imprisonment, the horror of war pushed Frank to commit an unspeakable act which Joe is the sole survivor. Now out for revenge, no act of kindness or reformation can stop Joe from committing the violent acts of murder and revenge.

Frank Enley (Heflin) is living the life: he has a beautiful wife, Edith (Leigh), a comfortable home, and has a great reputation in his community. But the past is haunting him: Joe Parkson (Ryan) and Frank were pilots in UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo, but were shot down and taken in as [=POWs=]. During the 2 years of imprisonment, the horror of war pushed Frank to commit an unspeakable act against his own men which Joe is the sole survivor of. Joe is now out for revenge and no act of kindness can stop him from committing the violent act of murder.

Frank Enley (Heflin) is living the life: he has a beautiful wife, Edith (Leigh), a comfortable home, and has a great reputation in his community. But the past is haunting him: Joe Parkson (Ryan) and Frank were pilots in UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo, but were shot down and taken in as [=POWs=]. During the 2 years of imprisonment, the horror of war pushed Frank to commit an unspeakable act against his own men which Joe is the sole survivor of. Joe is now out for revenge and no act of kindness can stop him from committing this violent act.

Frank Enley (Heflin) is living the life: he has a beautiful wife, Edith (Leigh), and a comfortable home. But the past is haunting him: Joe Parkson (Ryan) and Frank were [=POWs=] in UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo, and the horror of war pushed Frank to commit an unspeakable act against his own men. Joe is the sole survivor of the incident and is now out for revenge.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: The dark and troubles come from the POW camp where Frank gave away the escape plan to his German Commandant, thinking he was doing it to save his men from certain death, but unconsciously for food.
* DeathIsTheOnlyOption: Frank realizes that all his problems go away if he kills himself. But he jumps out of the way of the train since he can’t go through with it.
* DrowningMySorrows: Frank does this when he’s at the construction convention which makes him unable to hear or care about Edith’s warning.
* FallenHero: Both men, really. They are/were brave WWII pilots, but the POW camp changed them forever. Frank betrayed his men while Joe is dreaming of his unhealthy revenge on Frank.
* FakeUltimateHero: Frank. A high-standing member of society who has a dirty secret.
* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Running away from Joe leads Frank to end up in the wrong side of town where he meets kind, yet dumb, prostitute, Pat (Astor). She tries to help him find a lawyer to see if he can deal with Frank, but it turns out to be a way for the lawyer and his goon to take advantage of his desperate situation.
* MenUseViolenceWomenUseCommunication: A very obvious example: Frank tries to avoid Joe but Joe just wants to kill him and drives Frank to order a hit on him. The women, Edith and Ann (Joe's girlfriend), talk about the situation and try to stop their respective men to no avail.
* POWCamp: Although we’re never see the camp, we do hear about and witness the fallout of what happened there.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: Ultimately what happens to Frank: he agrees to set up a hit on Joe under duress and decides to run and save him from being shot, but he’s killed himself.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Both Frank and Joe aren’t integrating back into civilian life as easily as they should. Frank is able to keep up a façade with his family life, but eventually breaks down when the memories of his POW life haunt him. On the other hand, Joe could never possibly assimilate until he seeks his insane idea of justice.

* WarIsHell: Frank becomes a stoolie through extreme circumstances: he rats out the men because he’s starving and gets food out of the deal. Does he deserve to die for this or is it something anyone else under those circumstances would’ve done?

* DrowningMySorrows: Frank does this when he’s at the construction convention, and it makes him unable to hear or care about Edith’s warning him about Joe.

* TakingTheBullet: The bullet that was aimed for Joe is stopped by Frank. Through his chest.

* TheStoolPigeon: What Frank became to sell his men out. For food.

Frank Enley (Heflin) is living the life: he has a beautiful wife, Edith (Leigh), and a comfortable home. But the past is haunting him: Joe Parkson (Ryan) and Frank were [=POWs=] in UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo, and the horrors of war pushed Frank to unspeakable acts against his own menhe was set out to protect. Joe is the sole survivor of the incident and is now out for revenge.

Frank Enley (Heflin) is living the life: he has a beautiful wife, Edith (Leigh), and a comfortable home. But the past is haunting him: Joe Parkson (Ryan) and Frank were [=POWs=] in UsefulNotes/WWII, and the horrors of war pushed Frank to unspeakable acts against his own menhe was set out to protect. Joe is the sole survivor of the incident and is now out for revenge.

Frank Enley (Heflin) is living the life: he has a beautiful wife, Edith (Leigh), and a comfortable home. But the past is haunting him. Joe Parkson (Ryan) and Frank were [=POWs=], and the horrors of war pushed Frank to act against his own men in the barracks. Joe survived and is now out for avenge their deaths.

* WarIsHell: Frank becomes a StoolPigeon through extreme circumstances: he rats out the men because he’s starving and gets food out of the deal. Does he deserve to die for this or is it something anyone else under those circumstances would’ve done?

''Act of Violence'' (1949) is a FilmNoir, starring Creator/RobertRyan, Creator/VanHeflin, Creator/JanetLeigh, and Creator/MaryAstor. It was directed by Fred Zinnemann.

* WarHisHell: Frank becomes a StoolPigeon through extreme circumstances: he rats out the men because he’s starving and gets food out of the deal. Does he deserve to die for this or is it something anyone else under those circumstances would’ve done?
* StoolPigeon: What Frank became to sell his men out. For food.

Frank Enley (Heflin) is living the life: he has a beautiful wife, Edith (Leigh), and a comfortable home. But the past is haunting him. Joe Parkson (Ryan) and Frank were POWs, and the horrors of war pushed Frank to act against his own men in the barracks. Joe survived and is now out for avenge their deaths.

* DrowingMySorrows: Frank does this when he’s at the construction convention, and it makes him unable to hear or care about Edith’s warning him about Joe.