Force of Evil (1948)

Director:

Abraham Polonsky

Writers:

Abraham Polonsky (screenplay) and
Ira Wolfert (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 December 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Drama

Plot:

An unethical lawyer, with an older brother he wants to help, becomes a partner with a client in the numbers racket.

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Numbers Racket | Gangster | Heart Trouble | Secretary

Awards:

1 win

Cast

John Garfield	...	Joe Morse
Thomas Gomez	...	Leo Morse
Marie Windsor	...	Edna Tucker
Howland Chamberlain	...	Freddie Bauer (as Howland Chamberlin)
Roy Roberts	...	Ben Tucker
Paul Fix	...	Bill Ficco
Stanley Prager	...	Wally
Barry Kelley	...	Det. Egan
Paul McVey	...	Hobe Wheelock
Beatrice Pearson	...	Doris Lowry
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Murray Alper	...	Comptroller (uncredited)
Jessie Arnold	...	Sorter (uncredited)
Sam Ash	...	Man (uncredited)
Georgia Backus	...	Sylvia Morse (uncredited)
Margaret Bert	...	Sorter (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake	...	Detective (uncredited)
Mildred Boyd	...	Mother (uncredited)
Beau Bridges	...	Frankie Tucker (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Attorney (uncredited)
John Butler	...	Banker (uncredited)
Douglas Carter	...	Man (uncredited)
William Challee	...	Gunman #1 (uncredited)
Cliff Clark	...	Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Eileen Coghlan	...	Secretary #1 (uncredited)
Roger Cole	...	Attorney (uncredited)
John 'Uh huh' Collum	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Barbara Combs	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Betty Corner	...	Sorter (uncredited)
Bert Davidson	...	Attorney (uncredited)
Jim Davies	...	Policeman #9 (uncredited)
Jan Dennis	...	Mrs. Bauer (uncredited)
Jim Drum	...	Banker (uncredited)
Ann Duncan	...	Norval's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Jimmie Dundee	...	Dineen (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Policeman #8 (uncredited)
Jay Eaton	...	Attorney (uncredited)
Helen Eby-Rock	...	Secretary #3 (uncredited)
Richard Elmore	...	Attorney (uncredited)
Estelle Etterre	...	Secretary #4 (uncredited)
Charles Evans	...	Judge (uncredited)
Budd Fine	...	Butcher (uncredited)
Joel Fluellen	...	Father (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Elevator Operator (uncredited)
David Fresco	...	Gunman #3 (uncredited)
Dick Gordon	...	Attorney (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Sorter (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Policeman #4 (uncredited)
Bert Hanlon	...	Cigar Man (uncredited)
Carl Hanson	...	Attorney (uncredited)
Ray Hirsch	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Ray Hyke	...	Policeman #12 (uncredited)
John Indrisano	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Perry Ivins	...	Mr. Middleton (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Richards (uncredited)
Jack Lambert	...	(uncredited)
Raymond Largay	...	Bunty (uncredited)
Will Lee	...	Waiter (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Policeman #7 (uncredited)
Allen Mathews	...	Badgley (uncredited)
Mickey McGuire	...	Boy (uncredited)
David McKim	...	Cashier (uncredited)
Bill Neff	...	Law Clerk (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	Policeman #2 (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Arthur O'Connell	...	Link Hall (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Jack Overman	...	Juice (uncredited)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Counterman (uncredited)
Frank Pharr	...	Louie - Bootblack (uncredited)
Joey Ray	...	Gunman #2 (uncredited)
Bob Reeves	...	(uncredited)
Richard Reeves	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Shimen Ruskin	...	Sorter (uncredited)
Tim Ryan	...	Johnson (uncredited)
Louise Saraydar	...	Hatcheck Girl (uncredited)
Carl Saxe	...	Policeman #5 (uncredited)
Carl Sklover	...	Banker (uncredited)
Cap Somers	...	Policeman #6 (uncredited)
Esther Somers	...	Mrs. Lowry (uncredited)
Bob Stebbins	...	Norval (uncredited)
Diane Stewart	...	Girl (uncredited)
Barbara Stone	...	Secretary #2 (uncredited)
Robert Strong	...	Court Reporter (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Policeman #11 (uncredited)
Sid Tomack	...	Two & Two Taylor (uncredited)
Jim Toney	...	Sorter (uncredited)
Phil Tully	...	Policeman #1 (uncredited)
Max Wagner	...	Policeman #3 (uncredited)
Joe Warfield	...	Collector (uncredited)
Stanley Waxman	...	Nightclub Manager (uncredited)
Mervin Williams	...	Goodspeed (uncredited)
Robert Williams	...	Elevator Starter (uncredited)
Bud Wiser	...	Policeman #10 (uncredited)
Barbara Woodell	...	Mary - Joe's Secretary (uncredited)

Directed by
Abraham Polonsky

Writing credits
Abraham Polonsky		(screenplay) and
Ira Wolfert		(screenplay)
Ira Wolfert		(novel "Tucker's People")

Produced by
Bob Roberts	....	producer

Original Music by
David Raksin

Cinematography by
George Barnes		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Art Seid		(as Arthur Seid)

Casting by
Jack Baur

Art Direction by
Richard Day

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Makeup Department
Lillian Lashin	....	hair stylist
Gustaf Norin	....	makeup supervisor (as Gus Norin)

Production Management
Joe C. Gilpin	....	executive production manager (as Joseph C. Gilpin)
George Yohalem	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Aldrich	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Frank Webster	....	sound engineer

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Gibson	....	head grip
John F. Warren	....	operative cameraman (as Jack Warren)
Scotty Welbourne	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Louise Wilson	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Howard Lee Paul	....	assistant film editor
Walter Thompson	....	editorial supervisor

Music Department
Rudolph Polk	....	musical director
Lawrence Morton	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Ruby Raksin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Kenneth Hopkins	....	hats (as Keneth Hopkins)
Don Weis	....	dialogue director

Production Companies

• Enterprise Productions
• Roberts Pictures Inc.

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Favorite Films (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• ClassicLine (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Olive Films (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Republic Pictures  VHS package design
• Sound Services  sound recording by (as Sound Services, Inc.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:TV-PG | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1996) | UK:PG (tv rating)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Enterprise Productions

Trivia:

In order to show cinematographer George Barnes how he wanted the film to look, Abraham Polonsky gave him a book of Edward Hopper's Third Avenue paintings.

Goofs:

Continuity: During a climactic montage set at an East Coast racetrack on the Fourth of July, people in the stock footage crowd scenes are dressed in winter garments nobody would wear in the middle of summer.

Quotes:

[opening lines - voice over]
Joe Morse:This is Wall Street... and today was important because tomorrow - July Fourth - I intended to make my first million dollars. An exciting day in any man's life. Temporarily, the enterprise was slightly illegal. You see I was the lawyer for the numbers racket.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Rules of Film Noir (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

String Quartet opus 131, no. 14: Ist Movement

A movie that portrays the tragedy of "victimless" crime.

This movie is about the "numbers" racket that existed at the time the movie was made. Younger viewers, familiar with state lotteries may not appreciate the pervasive influence that was required to operate a nickel and dime play of individuals, that translated into millions that went to corrupt local politicians, judges, and police. One reviewer said the crime was petty which is true; but that makes the cost to the characters involved so tragic and cinematcally vivid. John Garfield acting is at its best as he portrays a person trying to balance ambition, romance and family loyalty. The minor characters are all nice people who found themselves caught in a dirty business that seemed harmless to everyone who played the numbers. This movie shows the real cost in personal terms. The writing, acting and direction of this movie excels any crime movie of this generation.