Conflict

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet, Rose Hobart, Charles Drake
Directed by: Curtis Bernhardt
Rating: Passed
Genre: Drama, Film Noir, Mystery
1945

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A man (Humphrey Bogart) decides to murder his wife (Rose Hobart) in the hopes of later marrying her sister (Alexis Smith).

Review:

Tim: Humphrey Bogart made so many great movies throughout his career. Conflict isn't a great movie, but it's a solid film noir. It certainly feels like a lesser effort than some of the great movies that came out in the 1940s. Still, the story is entertaining, there's some legitimate mystery, a few unexpected twists and turns. I walked away from this film happy I saw it and entertained, despite a few obvious flaws.

I found this film interesting because the lead character is potentially a murderer. There are other worthwhile cast members, but this film is chiefly about Humphrey Bogart's character. Our protagonist early on admits to not loving his wife, and instead professes love for her younger sister. The story progresses where by all appearances, Bogart kills his wife. The real mystery begins afterwards, as a series of odd events makes you question what you're seeing. My theories ran the full gamut. At one point, I wondered if this was all a fever dream of Bogart's character. Then later, I was convinced he was a murderer. At different points, I wondered if his attempted murder failed and his wife lived on. The mystery of what actually happened is a compelling one and it held my attention throughout the film. But, regardless of the eventual revelations, we have to suspect that our protagonist is a murderer for the bulk of the film. That's an interesting twist and one we didn't see too often from this period.

Bogart is fairly strong in the lead role. He does a really job of keeping us guessing as to what exactly is going on. As the film progresses, there is a greater chance that his character is mentally falling apart. He gives a convincing performance here, as a man who begins to crumble under the guilt (or perceived guilt) of what he has done. It's an impressive performance and it helps elevate this film. That being said, this film didn't leverage Bogart's talents appropriately. He can be so great with the right role and this wasn't the ideal role for him. I also loved seeing Sydney Greenstreet here. Greenstreet worked with Bogart a number of times and that familiarity showed up on screen. Their interactions were quite enjoyable. I thought Alexis Smith was fine in her role. She doesn't give an especially memorable performance, but it was adequate. The film would have been better if Smith had more to do, more of an opportunity to impact the film. As is, the majority of the movie rests on Bogart's shoulders (and he was more than capable of carrying that responsibility). That being said, it is always a little strange when you spend so much of a film with a character that is somewhat unlikable. We certainly get enough evidence to believe the worst about Bogart's character, so why should we invest deeply in him? Greenstreet is likeable, but he spends too much time on the fringes of the film. Smith is fine, but a bit naive. Rose Hobart is fairly unlikable from the very beginning. So, performances aside, we didn't get a collection of characters we could really love.

Now, while the film does keep us guessing, the movie eventually comes to its conclusion. I was torn about the ending of the movie. On the one hand, I applauded the story for its twists and turns before its final reveal. There was a part of me that was legitimately impressed with the journey the film took us on. Another part of my scoffed somewhat at the story. It does ask a little too much of the audience. There's this feeling like, "I suppose this could all make sense and work out, but I'm pretty skeptical". This limitation of the story certainly held the film back a good deal.

While Conflict ultimately requires too great a suspension of disbelief, there is still something clever and memorable about the film. It's a solid thriller and one that kept me intrigued- I legitimately wanted to know how it would all play out. That offers up some real entertainment value. In the end, I did enjoy this film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Big Sleep, Dead Reckoning