The Raging Tide (1951)

Set in San Francisco. After killing a rival, a gangster (Richard Conte) stows away on a fishing boat until he can escape. Based on the novel FIDDLER'S GREEN by Ernest K. Gann (THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY), who adapted his novel for the screen and directed by George Sherman (BIG JAKE). An interesting film noir that has us constantly switching our loyalties. At first, we're on the side of Conte as he seems a "good" guy despite being a mobster and we dislike the mean spirited fisherman's son played by Alex Nicol. But as both men head toward their redemption, we see that these are more complex individuals than we initially thought. Complications ensue when Nicol falls for Conte's moll, Shelley Winters and she begins to waver in her affections for both men. The movie is ably assisted by the clean B&W location lensing of Russell Metty (TOUCH OF EVIL) and an underscore by Frank Skinner (WRITTEN ON THE WIND). Not a major entry in the noir canon but a solid second tier item. With Charles Bickford, Stephen McNally, John McIntire and Minerva Urecal.