Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Act of Violence (1948)

Act of Violence (1948) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 2 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   1,027 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 6% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Fred Zinnemann
Writers:
Robert L. Richards (screenplay)
Collier Young (story)
Contact:
View company contact information for Act of Violence on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 December 1948 (USA) more
Tagline:
The manhunt no woman could stop!
Plot:
An embittered, vengeful POW stalks his former commanding officer who betrayed his men's planned escape attempt from a Nazi prison camp.. full summary | add synopsis
User Comments:
A Dark Tale of Guilt and Revenge more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Van Heflin ... Frank R. Enley

Robert Ryan ... Joe Parkson

Janet Leigh ... Edith Enley
Mary Astor ... Pat
Phyllis Thaxter ... Ann
Berry Kroeger ... Johnny
Taylor Holmes ... Gavery
Harry Antrim ... Fred
Connie Gilchrist ... Martha

Will Wright ... Pop
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Albright ... Bellboy (uncredited)
Rudolph Anders ... German Voice (uncredited)
William Bailey ... Convention Party Drunk (uncredited)
Margaret Bert ... Bystander (uncredited)
Barbara Billingsley ... (voice) (uncredited)
Douglas Carter ... Heavy Jowled Man (uncredited)
Bill Cartledge ... Newsboy (uncredited)
Fred Datig Jr. ... Bystander (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing ... Conventioneer (uncredited)
Rex Downing ... Teenage Boy (uncredited)
Jim Drum ... Policeman (uncredited)
Phil Dunham ... Convention Party Drunk (uncredited)
Dick Elliott ... Convention Party Drunk (uncredited)
Mary Jo Ellis ... Bystander (uncredited)
Everett Glass ... Hotel Night Clerk (uncredited)
A. Cameron Grant ... Man at Bar (uncredited)
Don Haggerty ... Policeman (uncredited)
Mahlon Hamilton ... Wino Pedestrian (uncredited)
Tom Hanlon ... Radio Commentator (voice) (uncredited)
Larry Holt ... Georgie Enley (uncredited)
Leslie Holt ... Georgie Enley (uncredited)
Wesley Hopper ... Policeman (uncredited)
Jimmy Kelly ... Bystander (uncredited)
Paul Kruger ... Policeman (uncredited)
Rocco Lanzo ... Teenage Boy (uncredited)
Ann Lawrence ... Bystander (uncredited)
Nolan Leary ... Voice (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack ... Convention Party Drunk (uncredited)
Mickey Martin ... Teenage Boy (uncredited)
Walter Merrill ... Man at Bar (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell ... Bartender (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery ... Man at Bar (uncredited)
Roger Moore ... Wino Pedestrian (uncredited)
David Newell ... Bystander (uncredited)
George Ovey ... Bystander (uncredited)
Garry Owen ... Auto Rental Company Attendant (uncredited)
Ralph Peters ... Tim the Bartender at Columbus Bar (uncredited)
William 'Bill' Phillips ... War Vet Speaker at Dedication (uncredited)
Florita Romero ... Girl (uncredited)
Fred Santley ... Convention Party Drunk (uncredited)
Frank J. Scannell ... Bell Captain (uncredited)
Hans Schumm ... German Voice (uncredited)
Irene Seidner ... Old Woman (uncredited)
Dick Simmons ... Veteran (uncredited)
Robert Skelton ... Cab Driver (uncredited)
Robert R. Stephenson ... Bartender in Dive (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan ... Conventioneer (uncredited)
Phil Tead ... Hotel Day Clerk (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook ... Man (uncredited)
Candy Toxton ... Veteran's Wife (uncredited)
Roland Varno ... German Voice (uncredited)
Eddie Waglin ... Bellboy (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Fred Zinnemann 
 
Writing credits
Robert L. Richards (screenplay)

Collier Young (story)

Produced by
William H. Wright .... producer
 
Original Music by
Bronislau Kaper 
 
Cinematography by
Robert Surtees (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Conrad A. Nervig 
 
Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons 
Hans Peters 
 
Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis 
 
Costume Design by
Helen Rose (costumes: women)
 
Makeup Department
Jack Dawn .... makeup designer
Sydney Guilaroff .... hair stylist
 
Art Department
Henry Grace .... associate set decorator (as Henry W. Grace)
 
Sound Department
Douglas Shearer .... recording director
 
Music Department
André Previn .... conductor
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
82 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | German
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
USA:Approved (certificate #13275) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Continuity: At the end of the movie, when the car crashes head-on into the light pole, Frank Enley is thrown forward by the impact. He is next seen lying in the street several yards to the rear of the car. more
Quotes:
Johnny: [giving Enley a drink] Put hair on your chest!
Frank R. Enley: [he sighs and looks confused and disoriented] Who are you?
Johnny: Me? I'm a businessman. You and me are gonna do a little business. You got dough, friend?
[looking at Pat]
Johnny: That's why they hang around - on the chisel. But not me. I'm gonna earn it!
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
25 out of 27 people found the following comment useful:-
A Dark Tale of Guilt and Revenge, 21 February 2005
9/10
Author: bartman_9 from Belgium

Home from WWII, veteran Frank Enley (Van Heflin) leads a comfortable life with his younger wife (Janet Leigh) in a small all-American town, until one day Joe Parkson (Robert Ryan), a former member from his platoon shows up, who seems to be out for revenge against him.

ACT OF VIOLENCE never makes it easy on you by telling who the good guy and the bad guy is: Frank may have done something wrong in the past, but is tormented by guilt (Heflin gives a great performance here), whereas Joe may be on a righteous mission, but his need for vengeance is obsessive and blind. It introduces two radically opposed characters and in the end makes you empathize with both of them. It's the movie HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG tried to be, but failed.

With a strong, gripping and tense conflict like this, you hope for a great ending. It almost delivers, but not quite: the final act wraps things up too neatly, it's a screenwriter's ending, not a real life one.

Nevertheless, ACT OF VIOLENCE is a greatly underrated American film.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Act of Violence (1948)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Premise doesn't add up Turfseer
Was this remade as 'History of Violence?' Groucho-13
Favorite line SeanColgan56
Showing tonight - May 14, 2007 PierTwo
the end of 'act of violence'??? chrelle
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Stalag 17 Out of the Past The Stranger Desire Me The Great Escape
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Thriller section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.