Force Of Evil (1948)

A lawyer (John Garfield) is connected to a ruthless racketeer (Roy Roberts) which compromises his ethics. His participation in a rigged numbers racket ultimately proves fatal to his brother (Thomas Gomez) and the lawyer must face up to his complicity. Based on the novel TUCKER'S PEOPLE by Ira Wolfert and directed by Abraham Polonsky (TELL THEM WILLIE BOY IS HERE). A much admired example of film noir, I found it just a little preachy for my taste. Notably in the "good girl" played by Beatrice Pearson whose character I found irritating. She preaches her distaste for Garfield's lack of morality and claims she doesn't want anything to do with him yet continuously engages in a passive/aggressive flirtation with him. I much preferred the upfront married femme fatale of Marie Windsor, who makes what she wants very clear. Sadly, Polonsky would not direct another feature film for another 20 years because shortly after this movie came out, he became a victim of HUAC. I liked it well enough but I didn't love it. With Barry Kelley, Stanley Prager, Howland Chamberlain and Paul Fix.