Force of Evil

Garfield very good, despite one or two histrionic moments. The thing definitely played like a satire of capitalism.

okay movie

You can see why someone like Scorsese is a fan. Has so many similarities wrt how it views power/capital and how it inflates the ego of those who don’t really have it but think they do. Scorsese uses it to show the brutality in man. But Polonsky being a communist uses this to show how money corrupts and tears at the fabric of the working class. Has more in common with a Vigo movie poetically than it does other noirs. A shadow filled shootout where you question who will die as if it matters

Excellent noir with a wonderful aura of gloom to it. It has a kind of epic, operatic quality, like The Godfather. The dialogue is poetic and philosophical. John Garfield is great in the lead, and the supporting performances are even better. The movie does get slightly confusing towards the end, but that's fairly typical of the genre. It doesn't really matter, as the nuanced character drama is the real show here. Very riveting and also nicely shot.

Strong noir that starts off slow but really comes into its own as it progresses. It's not as showy as some others but it's very well constructed, has good characters and ends on a great note.