On one hand, Van Heflin advanced his career with his Oscar win for 1941's Johnny Eager, and on the other hand, he could have sealed his fate to forever play villains with Act of Violence. When you're up against notorious villain Robert Ryan and you're the bad guy, there's a problem. Especially if you're an effective bad guy!
Fans of Cape Fear will love this film noir about one man's quest for revenge after WWII. Van Heflin and his ditzy wife Janet Leigh have a newborn baby and a solid, respectable life. When the limping, brooding Robert Ryan comes along, stalking Van and trying to kill him, everything in their world shatters. For the first half hour, I wondered if this film was in fact an original version of Cape Fear, because the plot and style was so similar. Instead of a lawyer and a disgruntled ex-con, it's a businessman and a disgruntled ex-war buddy. It's not exactly the same, though, so be prepared for an exciting new story with lots of tension. Mary Astor has a small role, as a prostitute who helps Van as he reaches rock bottom. Unlike many Hollywood hookers, Mary isn't glamorous. She's haggard and seedy, like real women in that profession.
The realism stops with Mary, since Janet is so horrendously stupid. She knows a dangerous armed man is trying to kill her husband, and she leaves her baby alone in the house while she goes next door to talk to her neighbor. Then, she leaves her baby in the neighbor's care when she leaves town, endangering that poor woman's life as well as her child's, since the first thing Robert Ryan does is cozy up to her for information! Give it a try, though, if you like Cape Fear.
Fans of Cape Fear will love this film noir about one man's quest for revenge after WWII. Van Heflin and his ditzy wife Janet Leigh have a newborn baby and a solid, respectable life. When the limping, brooding Robert Ryan comes along, stalking Van and trying to kill him, everything in their world shatters. For the first half hour, I wondered if this film was in fact an original version of Cape Fear, because the plot and style was so similar. Instead of a lawyer and a disgruntled ex-con, it's a businessman and a disgruntled ex-war buddy. It's not exactly the same, though, so be prepared for an exciting new story with lots of tension. Mary Astor has a small role, as a prostitute who helps Van as he reaches rock bottom. Unlike many Hollywood hookers, Mary isn't glamorous. She's haggard and seedy, like real women in that profession.
The realism stops with Mary, since Janet is so horrendously stupid. She knows a dangerous armed man is trying to kill her husband, and she leaves her baby alone in the house while she goes next door to talk to her neighbor. Then, she leaves her baby in the neighbor's care when she leaves town, endangering that poor woman's life as well as her child's, since the first thing Robert Ryan does is cozy up to her for information! Give it a try, though, if you like Cape Fear.