bkoganbing

24 May 2012

Playing A Head Game

Conflict was the last film teaming of Humphrey Bogart and SidneyGreenstreet and for this one the roles were reversed. For once Mr.Greenstreet was a good guy and he set about to trap his friend Bogartwho he suspects of murdering his wife.I guess it's the psychiatric training for Greenstreet for that's whathe plays in Conflict. Bogart and wife Rose Hobart are a seemingly happycouple, but in fact they've grown quite apart and Bogart fancieshimself in love with Hobart's sister, Alexis Smith.One night he and his wife are to go up to a mountain hotel resort, butwork keeps him home temporarily at the last minute. Hobart drives upalone and doesn't return.Let's just say that an elaborate trap has been set for a man that thereis no direct evidence on. Let's say that Greenstreet's professionaltraining comes in mighty handy for the games that are played.Conflict is not in the same league as Maltese Falcon or Casablanca.Still it has a modicum of suspense and should keep the viewerinterested.

jussssst

24 May 2012

Similarities between Conflict and Hitchcocks Vertigo !

Have you noticed the similarities between, not only «Conflict» and«Vertigo» (1958), but also with «The Two Mrs. Carroll» (1947)? Indeed,in these movies, there is at least one of the following occurrences :1) A husband planning to get rid of his wife. 2) A woman who«mysteriously» disappears after entering a building while beingfollowed by a man. 3) A clue that gives away the guilty person (a rose,a necklace). I'll stop here : if you're familiar with the three moviesmentioned -- or just curious about the «mechanics» of goodsuspense/noir films plotting -- then I'll leave it to you to find moreconnections. You may argue that, since «Vertigo» came after the others,if any «imitation» is to be pointed out, then Hitchcock's film would bethe one to «blame». Perhaps.... Yet, none of the other two come closeto the first part of «V.», in the atmospheric and hypnotic suggestionof a «romantic ghost».

22 May 2012

Classy crime thriller that really keeps you guessing

"Conflict", starring the always excellent Humphrey Bogart is often dismissed as minor league noir and a fairly ordinary entry in Bogart's sterling collection of film performances. On the contrary I've always found it terrific entertainment that really keeps you guessing and asking questions right up to the final frame. It is a most handsome production with all of Warner Bros. expertise on show in the overall look and feel of the piece and in the excellent performances by the male and female cast members in this story of murder, deceit and mystery.The film begins with the fifth wedding anniversary for affluent married couple engineer Richard Mason and his wife Katherine (Humphrey Bogart and Rose Habart). To the outside world they appear to be the perfect married couple with everything in life, however in reality Richard is most unhappy with his critical demanding wife and is secretly in love with her alluring younger sister Evelyn (Alexis Smith),who also has strong feelings for Richard. Resulting from a car accident the night of the party where Richard breaks a leg but from which Katherine walks away without a scratch, Richard has time to consider his unsatisfying marital situation and hatches an elaborate plan to do away with his shrewish wife and replace her with her younger sister. Pretending to be confined to a wheelchair when in actual fact he is now able to walk with the aid of a cane, Richard executes a supposedly fool proof murder plan. He pretends to plan a trip away with Katherine to a remote mountain resort and at the last minute on the pretext of work has her go on ahead. He then drives via a shorter route to a mountain pass and there waits for and then murders Katherine, pushing her car over the side of the mountain. He then quickly returns home and resumes the role of the chair bound invalid. What was supposedly the perfect crime soon becomes a living nightmare as strange things begin to happen that seem to indicate that perhaps Katherine is not dead at all. Her perfume is smelt in the house, jewelry she wore the night of the murder begins to turn up, a pawn ticket signed by Katherine is mailed to him and Richard thinks he sees Katherine walking in the street and then disappearing without trace into a strange house. Richard begins to question his sanity and eventualy his uncertainity about whether his murder plan was successful drives him back to the scene of the crime where all is revealed and the truth comes out! Directed with suitable flair by veteran director Curtis Bernhardt and based on a short story by Robert Siodmak and Alfred Neumann, "Conflict", is a riverting little murder mystery that benefits greatly from the writing and four lead performances. Bogart is excellent as Richard Mason in a rather unlikeable role and is particulary good in the scenes where he sets up the deception and where the strange return of his wife seemingly from the grave begins to unhinge his tortured guilt ridden mind. This film reunites him with his "Maltese Falcon" costar the superb Sydney Greenstreet in a great performance as family friend Dr. Mark Hamilton who is the one who discovers the clue as to what actually happened on the night of the murder. Rose Hobart in a rare 1940's role is excellent in the small but telling part of murder victim Katherine Mason who might or might not be dead. Her's is not a likeable character and her few scenes with Bogart reveal her as a grating and demanding person responsible for always belittling Richard while of course still not deserving the fate she endures. Alexis Smith provides her usual glamourous presence to the role of Evelyn Turner, Katherine's younger sister who finds herself embroiled in the family complications. But as always in his films Bogart is the life and soul of the production. Menacing while showing a certain vulnerability and uneasiness with what he has done, he turns an unlikeable character into someone you do find yourself caring for. That is the sign of a truly great actor. "Conflict", may not be in the top draw of Bogie classics but it is a very enjoyable little murder mystery that stays in the mind long after seeing it. Warners spared no expense in bringing it to the screen and what we have is 80 minutes of terrific entertainment with character work as could only be done with such finesse in Hollywood's golden age. Enjoy the murderous marital goings on in Warner Bros. noir classic "Conflict".

LDRose

22 May 2012

Interesting psychological mystery

Conflict stars Humphrey Bogart as architect Richard Mason, not in lovewith his wife (Rose Hobart) and infatuated with her sister Alexis(Evelyn Turner) Events soon take a sinister turn, when Richard hatchesa plot to murder his wife on a remote mountain road. Just when hethinks he has committed the perfect crime, things start to happen whichplant seeds of doubt in his mind.Sydney Greenstreet gives a fine performance as a psychologist friend ofthe Masons who offers useful insights into the criminal mind and givesyou food for thought as he voices his opinion on the human psyche.With good performances all round, this is an atmospheric mystery whichwill keep you guessing to the end.

Eric Chapman

21 May 2012

Competently Made, Enjoyable

Not a bad Hitchcock style mystery/thriller at all. It's nothing major anditsort of goes through the motions setting up the rather familiar premise,butonce film legends Bogart and Greenstreet start playing their little catandmouse games, it becomes genuinely suspenseful. I found myself enjoying itquite a bit, though Bogart's benevolent change of heart regarding hisobsession Alexis Smith made little sense. (This is compensated for,however,by one of those surprise endings that you sort of see coming but aresurprised by anyway.)

20 May 2012

My Favorite Bogart Movie

I simply can't believe that all previous reviewers only give 3 or 4 stars for "Conflict". It's such a thrilling and brilliant movie, at least as good as "Dark Passage", my other favorite Bogart film. And after having watched more than 95% of all Bogart movies, I seriously think that "Conflict" and "Dark Passage" are a lot better than "The Big Sleep" or "The Maltese Falcon" even though those are considered his best, but I still prefer Conflict & Dark Passage by far! I just find their plots so much more fascinating.10 stars.For years and years I was wondering why "Conflict" (and another film noir with Brian Donlevy called "Nightmare" (1942)) are not available on DVD and also are never on TCM. So I finally bought both of them at ioffer.com and I'm happy to have them now at home. It's such a shame that only one third (and not necessarily the best third!) from all old movies ever produced is available on DVD's.

Chris Gaskin

20 May 2012

I know I killed my wife

I recently picked up Conflict from a market stall and was very pleasedI did.After Richard Mason gets found out by his wife that he is having anaffair with her sister, he bumps her off and makes out she was killedin a car crash by pushing the car down a cliff. He then getshallucinations that his wife could still be alive including a letter inher writing and seeing "her" going into a flat. At the end, we foundout the real reasons for all this...This movie is rather atmospheric and has a good music score.The Cast includes the great Humphrey Bogart (The African Queen,Casablanca), his Cssablanca co-star Sydney Greenstreet, Alexis Smith(The Two Mrs Carrolls, which also starred Bogie), Rose Hobart andCharles Drake.Conflicty is a must for all Bogie fans. Excellent.Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

dima-12

19 May 2012

Like every forties crime caper it lacks dirt and it has a lame ending

`Conflct` is a paradigmatic crime caper of the nineties.It is a story of ahusbands plan to murder his wife and how that plan goes wrong.Now,I mustsaythat a plan goes wrong in a new way but overall the whole story feels limpsince it needs far more explicit displays of greed and violence.The storyhas a nice twist and it is too bad that by the end there is a touch ofpredictability even though no one would`ve predicted such a lameending.

calvinnme

17 May 2012

Many call this an unusual Bogart film...

...but it isn't really that unusual if you consider the films Bogartmade after "High Sierra" and he began to get meatier film roles insteadof the one-note gangster roles Warner Brothers often put him into from1936 until 1941. Bogart was quite a versatile actor to put it mildly,and this film showcases yet another side of his talents.Bogart plays Richard Mason, an engineer who is celebrating his fifthwedding anniversary with his wife Kathryn (Rose Hobart). However,Richard and Kathryn have been snapping at each other for the last fewweeks. In a bit of a showdown before attending their anniversary party,Richard admits that he is in love with Kathryn's sister Evelyn, andKathryn admits her short temper has been because she realizes this.Kathryn also states that she would never agree to a divorce. Realizethat Evelyn (Alexis Smith) is innocent in all of this as Richard hasbeen worshiping her from afar.That night, on the way back from their anniversary party, Richard isgazing at Evelyn through the rear view mirror and has an automobileaccident as a result of not paying attention to the road. Evelyn andKathryn are unharmed, but Richard has broken his leg. Richard uses thisinjury, and the fact that no doctor can be sure at what point he'llregain the use of his leg, to come up with a rather clever scheme forkilling his wife. After recovering his mobility, he continues to behaveas though incapacitated. With everyone believing him immobilized by hisinjury, he intercepts his wife's car on a remote mountain road,blocking the road with his own car. He kills his wife and then sendsthe car off a cliff with Kathryn inside. A large group of logs go offthe cliff with the car making a kind of eery formation on top of it andobscuring the wreck. The car does not catch fire.Now all Richard has to do is go back to town undetected, still playingthe cripple, and now playing the worried husband as well when his wifedoes not reach her destination. With Evelyn at his side to providemoral support, his plan is to wait for the alerted state police to findhis wife's car and thus her body. Then he'll be free to court Evelyn.However, there is one snag - the police never find Kathryn's body orher car. On top of that, Kathryn's things that were with her when shedied are showing up one by one - in Richard's desk, in his bedroom, inhis luggage when he goes on a trip. The scent of Kathryn's perfumefills their room one night. He even sees someone who is dressed justlike his wife on the street one day and follows her - she disappearsinto thin air. Whatever is going on here? Was Kathryn unharmed in thissecond accident as well? Is she playing with him? Unlike mostmysteries, this one is not something that needs to be explained to theaudience at the end, although it is. If you watch the film closelyenough you'll figure out exactly what happened before it startshappening - but you have to pay attention. Highly recommended.

16 May 2012

Minor noir enlivened by terrific cast

*Spoilers after the first paragraph, beware*Bogie is the star here, as Richard Mason, an architect in an outwardly-seeming fine marriage to Kathryn (Rose Hobart), but really in love with her younger sister Evelyn (Alexis Smith). The couple have a close friend, a psychology professor (Sydney Greenstreet) who gushes about how happy they are at an anniversary party, and this only makes things worse, especially as Evelyn is present. On the way home from the party, Richard crashes the car. The two women are safe but he injures his leg. While recuperating, he hatches a plot to do away with Kathryn so that he can have Evelyn - despite no evidence that she loves him. He manages to get her killed in another auto accident, but soon finds evidence that she may still be around.Mason's deteriorating state, and the odd occurrences -- in particular a great sequence in which he follows the apparent ghost or still-living Kathryn from a distance into an empty house -- are the best part of the film, and so I was disappointed that the ending was so abrupt and the spookiness brushed off as deliberate ploys on the part of Greenstreet and the cops, who know that he's guilty but just can't prove it. Ultimately, this is neither hard-boiled enough to be really exciting and compelling, nor dreamlike enough to be unsettling and unnerving - it just doesn't quite hit the key noir qualities for me. Still, Bogart and Greenstreet are solid, and I liked the rather artificial sets which gave it an "anytown" feel -- something that was lost with the location shooting that tends to dominate later noir from about 1947-48 on. Overall then fairly minor, but as with every film Bogart was in after 1938 or so, it ought to be on DVD. The VHS looks decent enough if, like me, you can't wait for a better medium.

leonard-1

15 May 2012

A moody film that invites speculation by the viewer

Every time I find myself driving on a lonely, densely wooded mountain roadwith precipitous drops just past the shoulder, I am reminded of the 1945movie `Conflict', a film that I view every year or so. When I recentlydiscovered that the story behind `Conflict' was named `The Pentacle',credited to Alfred Neumann and Robert Siodmak, I viewed `Conflict' again inorder to determine the relationship between the film and the word`pentacle'. A `pentacle' is roughly defined as `a five-pointed starenclosed within a regular pentagon, and enclosing a smaller regularpentagon'. The pentacle is a favored symbol among devotees of the occult,but `Conflict' is not a movie about the occult. The pentacle symbol appearsin `Conflict' as a visual motif, nagging the engineer Mason (HumphreyBogart) with memories of his terrible deed. The first appearance in thefilm of a clearly identifiable pentacle is a technical drawing depicting afive-sided bridge foundation to be used in shale by Mason's constructioncompany. Mason's imagination dreamily relates this drawing to a big pile oflogs hiding the wreckage of an automobile in a mountain valley, the resultof his grim obsession. Perhaps a `pentacle' of imaginary lines of mentalforce can be imagined by the movie's viewer as the engineer Mason (HumphreyBogart) appears in the center of a tense human pentacle, the five verticesof which are the psychiatrist (Sydney Greenstreet), Mason's wife (RoseHobart), the sister-in-law (Alexis Smith), the suitor (Charles Drake), and,finally, the police detectives. Changing the subject slightly, the tersedialog in `Conflict' always seemed to me to be very upper class English. Ihave often imagined the movie with a British cast of the period, with Masonperhaps played by Dirk Bogarde or Trevor Howard instead of Humphrey Bogart,the psychiatrist by Nigel Bruce instead of Sidney Greenstreet, and thepolice authorities cast as aloof Scotland Yard detectives instead offriendly American cops. However, the actual cast did just fine, in myopinion, with the result that I, for one, am an unreserved fan of`Conflict'!

15 May 2012

A little known Bogart film

I am a collector of Humphrey Bogart films and was pleased to find this one on Amazon, as I had not known of its existence before. I enjoyed seeing the film, especially because it is not exactly the type of role he was used to in the forties. I was pleased to add this to my collection and look forward to preserving it to CD.Ron

davegrenfell

14 May 2012

Conflict?

Not the most imaginative title in the world. How about:Evelyn; The Red Rose; I want her Dead; Some come Back; Impulse Watching Bogie's detective stuff, you tend to forget he started off asbad guys. This is kind of a throwback to the earlier stuff, and isgenuinely shocking in parts. He really is a very, very nasty characterwho develops an obsession with his step sister, who really doesn't careif he lives or dies. Bogie heartlessly kills his wife, (because hewants to) faking an accident, then starts to find her personal objectshe thought he left with her, coming back around the house! Maybe sheisn't dead? Maybe it's her ghost?? Best bit: Bogie goes in apawnbrokers, finds one of her possessions and her signature in thegoods register, comes back with a cop, but; it's a different man! Andher possession isn't there! And her signature isn't in the book! Thefilm at times is sort of a cross between the Twilight Zone and Columbo.The ending is a bit weak and i suppose may be a reshot version. Thefilm as a whole would have benefited from some kind of shootout orgruesome, ironic twist, perhaps Bogie being driven mad, ending up in anasylum? Also, he seems to be wearing a lot of makeup to make him lookyounger, although that may be my imagination. I know he didn't usually,so i could be wrong.

13 May 2012

Engaging Psychological Murder Mystery

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***I like to call some movies (such as "Mirage"), "A Hitchcock movie not madeby Hitchcock." "Conflict" reminds me more of one of his hour-long TVshows,although more intricate and finely wrought. It is done with the samesardonic approach to the horrors that result from entanglement inmurder.Richard (Humphrey Bogart) and Katherine (Rose Hobart) have the perfectmarriage. At least, that's what all their friends think, includingskeptical Freudian psychologist Dr. Mark Hamilton (Sydney Greenstreet),whotells Katherine he is amazed -- that five years ago, when they married, hewouldn't have given it the slightest chance.But the story opens with Katherine accusing Richard of having fallen inlovewith her younger sister, Evelyn (Alexis Smith). He denies it, butKatherinehas sensed the truth. She says she will never give Richard a divorce, andthat Evelyn would laugh at him if she knew how he felt.At their fifth anniversary party that night, Richard moons over Evelynlikea lovesick puppy. On their way home, Evelyn's announcement of herincipientdeparture causes Richard such emotional turmoil that he runs the car intosomething (we never see what). He awakes in the hospital, and his firstwords are, "How is Evelyn?" Only later does he ask about Katherine, anddoesn't seem too happy to hear that she has escaped without ascratch.Richard tries to make it up with Katherine, but she withers him with,"It'sfunny how virtuous a man can be when he's helpless." He uses the factthathis is bound to a wheel chair as the mechanism to enact a plan that he hasobviously made, although we don't see him making it. He pretends he can'twalk, even though he has recovered. He puts on a convincing show for thedoctor, who tells him that his problem is mental now rather thanphysical.Richard sets up a vacation at their lonely mountain cabin, ostensibly toaidin his recovery. At the last minute, he fakes a business emergency andtells Katherine to go to the cabin without him; he'll meet her there thenext day. He drives ahead, intercepts her on a lonely, fog-bound mountaintrack, and kills her.Dr. Mark, who has been a sort of second father to Katherine and Evelyn, issuspicious from the first. Evelyn returns, and Richard is consumed bydesire for her. She submits to his attentions, and agrees to spend sometime with him at the mountain cabin.But things are far from perfect in this hellish paradise Richard hascreatedfor himself. Katherine's possessions keep turning up, as do people whoclaim they have seen a woman dressed exactly like Katherine was on the dayof her death. Richard becomes increasingly convinced that she is stillalive somehow. The uncertainty gnaws at him, and eventually causes him tomake a fatal blunder.Humphrey Bogart presages his role as Captain Queeg in "The Caine Mutiny"here, portraying a madman not as a hair-tearing raver, but in a subtle,understated manner that is much more chilling. (If you like this kind ofcharacter, it was also played masterfully by Robert Mitchum in CharlesLaughton's "Night of the Hunter.")Alexis Smith is utterly fascinating, combining sirenish seductiveness withwholesome, girl-next-door qualities in a way that is rare, and difficulttopull off. It is easy to see why Bogart is so obsessed with her and dumpshis shrewish wife for her.Sydney Greenstreet is at his enigmatic best (although perhaps not quite asgood as in "The Velvet Touch"), warm, jolly and seemingly innocuous on theoutside, but coldly calculating, relentless and almost vicious on theinside.Although the ending of the film is abrupt and a bit weak, the denouementissuperbly brought off by Greenstreet. The acting is strong, and thelead-upto the climax is handled with suspense that will grab your interest andnotlet go.

tostinati

12 May 2012

How do you spell regret?

Spoilers.I've just seen this film again for the first time in about 20 years.I've held it as a personal favorite from an earlier viewing, all thistime. It was with some trepidation, then, taking into account all thewater that has washed under the gates in the last 20 years in cinematicterms, that I came to Conflict again. Would it still stand up as anauthentic film experience? For me, it has. --And what's more, there are resonances here, this timearound, that flew over the head of a callow youngster. This go 'round,the film feels like nothing less than a meditation on regret, all thosemistakes you wish you could undo, all those unfulfilled longings ofmiddle age that arise out of a palpable sense of missed opportunitiesand fading last chances.Bogart is perfect as Richard Mason, an engineer who is trusted tooversee the building of a bridge or skyscraper, but can't repair a'simple little thing' like his damaged relationship with his wife.Mason regrets what has become of his marriage. He regrets feelingtrapped in a 'situation.' He regrets that the time line of eternity hasfailed to synchronize the lifetime of his wife's much younger sisterwith his own. A cool and respected professional outwardly, he is,inside, a flailing, discontented man. What finally pushes him over theedge may be his wife's casual mockery in the films first scene, apreparation for their anniversary party. Amid some standard jibes andold-couple bickering, she throws out this taunt: that she hopes henever tells Evelyn, her sister, he has a thing for her, because she'dlaugh at him. "I wish you hadn't said that" he thinks out loud. It's atthat point that we begin to feel the wheels of escape turning in theengineer's head. With just a few thoughtless words, the relationshiphas turned a corner, from merely unrewarding to personally demeaningand thus intolerable. Therein hangs the tale.By fade out, it is clear that Mason has one other towering regret:having killed his wife. The final scene, returned to the sepulcher hefashioned for his wife, Mason takes a long hard look with us alongsideat existential despair. The empty tomb is a metaphor for Mason's lifeas he must feel it at that point: The emptiness of an empty life, theemptiness of death and eternity for one who has lived such a life.Whatever he was waiting for hasn't shown up this existence, and won'tin the next. This is it for Richard Mason. Does it get any darker thanthis?Conflict isn't included in most noir references because, I believe,some of the more psychologically aberrant elements of the charactersand story are explained away rationally at the end, as part of a set upor a trick to trap a murderer. But I think the experts are mistaken innot having looked more closely at this film. The core of Conflict is,in fact, the purest noir: an existential view of life and death,struggles with doubts about ones own sanity, sexual longing as a spurto murder, and a cruel subversion of a cherished bourgeois institution(the 'perfect' marriage). If this isn't noir, then what is noircriticism but a transparent popularity contest-- like the earliestauteur criticism-- that speciously excludes films for having the"wrong" director, or for not having been endorsed by the "right"people?Ten stars. Definitely worth your time.

mgrindberg

12 May 2012

impact of conflict

This is one of Bogart's best movies. He could go either to hard bittenprivate detective Sam Spade or to paranoid types like the role he playsin this movie or what he did in Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Like mostHollywood movies, murder seems a bit unrealistic given the charactersas they are written out and portrayed. But get by the murder and thecontrived plot that follows, Bogart still is nothing less thanfantastic in this movie. Alexis Smith's part as his wife's youngersister is another reason not to throw this film in as a minor andforgettable Bogart effort. Leave it to a director like CurtisBernhardt, a guy who was known for making "women"s films to make a filmthat explores so well a man's infatuation and insecurity.

OldAle1

07 May 2012

Minor noir enlivened by terrific cast with Bogie and Greenstreet tops

Bogie is the star here, as Richard Mason, an architect in anoutwardly-seeming fine marriage to Kathryn (Rose Hobart), but who isreally in love with her younger sister Evelyn (Alexis Smith). Thecouple have a close friend, a psychology professor (Sydney Greenstreet)who gushes about how happy they are at an anniversary party, and thisonly makes things worse, especially as Evelyn is present. On the wayhome from the party, Richard crashes the car. The two women are safebut he injures his leg. While recuperating, he hatches a plot to doaway with Kathryn so that he can have Evelyn - despite no evidence thatshe loves him. He manages to get her killed in another auto accident,but soon finds evidence that she may still be around.Mason's deteriorating state, and the odd occurrences -- in particular agreat sequence in which he follows the apparent ghost or still-livingKathryn from a distance into an empty house -- are the best part of thefilm, and so I was disappointed that the ending was so abrupt and thespookiness brushed off as deliberate ploys on the part of Greenstreetand the cops, who know that he's guilty but just can't prove it. Bogartand Greenstreet are solid, and I liked the rather artificial sets whichgave it an "anytown" feel -- something that was lost with the locationshooting that tends to dominate later noir -- but overall this isfairly minor.

07 May 2012

Very minor league film noir

This 1945 offering has Bogey knocking off his wife because he prefers her sister, commiting (he thinks) the perfect crime but.... Mundane dialogue, occasional excursions into soap opera, and bits of dime-store psychology all weigh this opus down. Bogart does the best he can with what he has to work with. This was released after Double Indemnity and near the same time as Murder, My Sweet and Woman in the Window but it is not in the same league with any of them.

theowinthrop

05 May 2012

The Subject Was Roses?

Sidney Greenstreet was only in motion pictures for nine years, but he left amark as large as his physical presence. He was lucky to be taken throughhis initial appearance in films (he was past 60)by one of the great modernfilm directors (John Huston). And after THE MALTESE FALCON he was luckyenough to appear in a second film by Huston (ACROSS THE PACIFIC) co-starringhis "Maltese Falcon" friends Bogart and Mary Astor. With that build-up hewas set. Unfortunately, he also had been set in the role of villain, andfor as long as he was connected to Warners Brothers (which was most of hiswhole career) he was usually playing villains. There would be exceptions: He was in comedies like CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT, THE HUCKSTERS, PILLOW TOPOST. But most of his films were dramatic, with him playing the villains. Sometimes his villains were sympathetic, or the type the audience secretlycheered on (his Superintendent Grodman avenges himself and a wrongly hangedman in the course of the film THE VERDICT). Sometimes he destroyed a trulyevil figure (usually Zachary Scott), like in THE MASK OFDEMETRIOS.Because of THE MALTESE FALCON and the Warner Brothers connection,Greenstreet and Bogart found themselves teamed together, frequently withPeter Lorre or Mary Astor in these films as well. In most of themGreenstreet played a villain or a semi-sinister figure (his role inCasablanca is not a total villain in the film). But CONFLICT is a realexception. It was the only time Greenstreet and Bogart were in a filmtogether and Bogart is the villain, while Greenstreet is the man who solvesthe murder. It is good reverse casting (reminding us that Bogart's periodas a supporting actor in the 1930s was one where he played villains againstEdward G. Robinson or James Cagney). Greenstreet is excellent as the theman who uses psychological warfare to crack the killer's conscience. And itis so subtly done we never know what was the cause of Greenstreet'sdiscovery of the truth - it all comes down to an issue of horticulture...soto speak.

blanche-2

05 May 2012

a little Gaslight, a little Two Mrs. Carrolls, a whole lotta Bogie

This is an obvious though very entertaining film with a cast thatincludes the radiant Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet, and of course,the star, Humphrey Bogart at his sinister best. He plays an unhappilymarried man who is in love with his wife's sister (Smith). Greenstreetis a friend of the family.Considering the circumstances of his death, it's always disturbing tosee Humphrey Bogart with cigarettes, and if he's not smoking in this,he's lining them up in his cigarette case.Mystery loving audiences will pick up the all-important clueimmediately. Whether you do or don't, it's hard not to enjoy the moststandard of films with a cast like this. As an added kick, the film hasa psychological feature to it, which started to become all the ragetoward the end of WWII.