Conflict (1945)

An engineer trapped in an unhappy marriage murders his wife in the hope of marrying her younger sister.

Director:

Curtis Bernhardt

Writers:

Arthur T. Horman (screenplay), Dwight Taylor (screenplay)

Stars:

Humphrey Bogart, Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Humphrey Bogart	...	Richard Mason
Alexis Smith	...	Evelyn Turner
Sydney Greenstreet	...	Dr. Mark Hamilton
Rose Hobart	...	Kathryn Mason
Charles Drake	...	Prof. Norman Holsworth
Grant Mitchell	...	Dr. Grant
Patrick O'Moore	...	Det. Lt. Egan (as Pat O'Moore)
Ann Shoemaker	...	Nora Grant
Edwin Stanley	...	Phillips (as Ed Stanley)

Storyline

Richard Mason is slightly hurt in a car accident but pretends that his injuries are worse so that he cannot accompany his wife, Kathryn on a trip to the mountains. He does, however, kill her on a lonely mountain road. Or did he? He smells her perfume, finds her jewelry, sees an envelope addressed in her handwriting. He goes back to the scene of the crime to find ... what?

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Plot Keywords:

murder of wife | sister in law | pawn shop | rose | broken leg | 

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Taglines:

SUSPENSE...SUSPICION...MAN-WOMAN DESIRES! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 June 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Pentacle

Filming Locations:

Angeles Crest Highway, Angeles National Forest, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The statue of a possible version of the Maltese Falcon is displayed as an ornament on the top of the wooden filing cabinet in Det. Lt. Egan's office when Richard visits. A few years earlier, in 1941, Bogart and Greenstreet had appeared together in the movie "The Maltese Falcon" about this statue. No reference to it is made in the dialogue of this movie. This possible version has broader shoulders, longer neck and thinner head than what was actually used in the previous movie. Although it does look very much like the version used in a poster for the earlier movie where hands are grasping for it and is clearly different in shape than what was actually used in the earlier movie.

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Goofs

When Richard sees his wife disappear into an empty apartment, the owner tells him that the place has "redone floors and all new wallpaper", yet every wall is plain paint.

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Quotes

Evelyn Turner: Are you ready yet?
Richard Mason: Are we, Kathryn?
Kathryn Mason: Certainly.

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Connections

Featured in Pulp Cinema (2001)

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Soundtracks

Tango Jalousie
(uncredited)
Written by Jacob Gade

User Reviews

Interesting psychological mystery

Conflict stars Humphrey Bogart as architect Richard Mason, not in love with his wife (Rose Hobart) and infatuated with her sister Alexis (Evelyn Turner) Events soon take a sinister turn, when Richard hatches a plot to murder his wife on a remote mountain road. Just when he thinks he has committed the perfect crime, things start to happen which plant seeds of doubt in his mind.

Sydney Greenstreet gives a fine performance as a psychologist friend of the Masons who offers useful insights into the criminal mind and gives you food for thought as he voices his opinion on the human psyche.

With good performances all round, this is an atmospheric mystery which will keep you guessing to the end.