An Act Of Murder (1948)

A strict and unyielding judge (Fredric March) sees the law in terms of black and white with no leeway. When his wife (Florence Eldridge) becomes terminally ill and suffers unbearable pain, his thoughts lead to the unthinkable. Based on the novel by Ernst Lothar and directed by Michael Gordon (PILLOW TALK). This is a provocative well done drama. It's often referred to as a film noir but I don't see it that way. It's a fairly gripping tale of a man painted into a corner where the very core of his moral values are challenged. I had some ethical problems with the movie and yes, I realize it's unwise to judge a 72 year old movie by 2020 sensibilities. But I bristled when a seriously ill patient is not told of her illness, surely it's her right to know and it's quite possible the shock of finding out the diagnosis on her own contributed to the eventual tragedy. Then there's a scene where a dog is struck by a car. Do they rush it to the vet? No, a cop decides to shoot it to put it out of its misery! If you can get past that, you'll find an engrossing legal drama even if you don't agree with where it comes down. With Edmond O'Brien, Geraldine Brooks, John McIntire, Stanley Ridges and Virginia Brissac.