Backfire
Backfire
NR
5.8
·

1950

·

91m

Backfire

Summary

When he's discharged from a military hospital, ex-GI Bob Corey goes on a search for his army buddy Steve Connolly. A reformed crook, Connolly is on the lam from a trumped-up murder rap, and Corey hopes to clear his pal. Tagging along is Army nurse Julie Benson, who has fallen for Corey.

Director

Vincent Sherman

Screenplay

Ivan Goff

Screenplay

Ben Roberts

Screenplay, Story

Lawrence B. Marcus

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

February 16, 2020

6

I didn't only break his back the last ten days, I broke his heart.

Backfire is directed by Vincent Sherman and collectively written by Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts and Larry Marcus. It stars Virginia Mayo, Gordon MacRae, Edmond O'Brien, Dane Clark, Ed Begley and Viveca Lindfors. Music is by Daniele Amfitheatrof and cinematography by Carl Guthrie.

While recuperating from wartime back injuries at a hospital, veteran Bob Corey (Macrae) is visited on Christmas Eve by a beautiful stranger with a message that his army friend Steve Connolly (O'Brien) is seriously injured and in trouble with the police. Upon release, and aided by his girlfriend nurse, Julie Benson (Mayo), Bob enters the labyrinthine underworld of post war Los Angeles in search of his friend.

The warning signs that this might not be a particularly sparky film noir are evident with the lie on the film's poster. Tantalisingly suggesting Mayo as a femme fatale type, the girl from "White Heat" is anything but since she's literally an angel of mercy. Pic is a trifle of nifty noir moments and awkwardly acted scenarios. That it's needlessly convoluted only makes the problems of the staid script come to light.

The problems faced by returning veterans was a recurring noir theme, and here, even though it's not pushed forward to the maximum, it at least gives the story some psychological heart. It has a good cast, good monochrome photography and is played out with some classic noir staples, but it's not all it can be, compounded by a weak finale that feels like a writers compromise. 6/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Keywords

war veteran
boxer
film noir
military hospital