

1949·Thriller·1h 22m
7.1
★





A former prisoner of war, Frank Enley is hailed as a hero in his California town. However, Frank has a shameful secret that comes back to haunt him when fellow survivor Joe Parkson emerges, intent on making Frank pay for his past deeds.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann
prostitute
war veteran
prisoner of war
housewife
stalker
revenge
film noir
on the run
informant
post war
hidden truth
fearful wife
man with limp

Trailer

IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch

Cast

Van Heflin
Frank R. Enley

Robert Ryan
Joe Parkson

Janet Leigh
Edith Enley

Mary Astor
Pat

Phyllis Thaxter
Ann

Berry Kroeger
Johnny

Taylor Holmes
Gavery

Harry Antrim
Fred

Connie Gilchrist
Martha

Will Wright
Pop

Rudolph Anders
German (voice) (uncredited)

William Bailey
Convention Party Drunk (uncredited)
Crew

Fred Zinnemann
Director

Bronislau Kaper
Original Music Composer

Robert Surtees
Director of Photography

Helen Rose
Costume Designer

Cedric Gibbons
Art Direction

Edwin B. Willis
Set Decoration

Sydney Guilaroff
Hair Designer

Andrew Marton
Second Unit Director

Douglas Shearer
Sound Director

André Previn
Conductor
Popular Reviews
19 reviews
Jonathan
7.0★ · 01/08/26

this one really caught me off guard with how heavy it is. i went in expecting a pretty standard noir, but it’s way more about guilt and paranoia than twists or clever plotting. the story slowly peeling back what frank did during the war made everything feel tense in this quiet, creeping way. robert ryan is honestly the standout for me. he feels less like a typical villain and more like a walking reminder that you can’t outrun your past. it’s not the flashiest noir and it moves at an old-school pace, but the mood, the moral weight, and the sense of doom really worked on me.
this one really caught me off guard with how heavy it is. i went in expecting a pretty standard noir, but it’s way more about guilt and paranoia than twists or clever plotting. the story slowly peeling back what frank did during the war made everything feel tense in this quiet, creeping way. robert ryan is honestly the standout for me. he feels less like a typical villain and more like a walking reminder that you can’t outrun your past. it’s not the flashiest noir and it moves at an old-school pace, but the mood, the moral weight, and the sense of doom really worked on me.
Bryce
7.0★ · 07/31/25

Your past will come back to haunt you and that same past can kill you in the future. Act of Violence is a very stunning film with film having no real good or evil in it most of these characteds fit into a morally gray excluding the women. I feel like this is just a very dark example of how actions come back to haunt you and how your own survival will end you whole.
Your past will come back to haunt you and that same past can kill you in the future. Act of Violence is a very stunning film with film having no real good or evil in it most of these characteds fit into a morally gray excluding the women. I feel like this is just a very dark example of how actions come back to haunt you and how your own survival will end you whole.
Samsheraz
6.0★ · 08/15/24

The manhunt no woman can stop
The manhunt no woman can stop
jekk
9.0★ · 11/21/22

"They were dead and I was eating. Maybe that's all I did it for. To save one man. Me. There were six widows. There were 10 men dead and I couldn't even stop eating."
"They were dead and I was eating. Maybe that's all I did it for. To save one man. Me. There were six widows. There were 10 men dead and I couldn't even stop eating."
MariaPRO
7.0★ · 09/29/22

Pretty good !! Interesting portrayal of how not every veteran was the same and how it affected them. Specially love the scene with the train, felt very real and really showed how much he had spiraled. Wish they could have shown more flashbacks so the revenge added up lol I was kinda confused about why he wanted revenge so bad (could also be me watching it late and in a rush cause of film class,,, anyways)
Pretty good !! Interesting portrayal of how not every veteran was the same and how it affected them. Specially love the scene with the train, felt very real and really showed how much he had spiraled. Wish they could have shown more flashbacks so the revenge added up lol I was kinda confused about why he wanted revenge so bad (could also be me watching it late and in a rush cause of film class,,, anyways)