Tonight's Movie: Conflict (1945) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

Humphrey Bogart plays a wife murderer in the highly enjoyable CONFLICT (1945), just released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

CONFLICT was scripted by Arthur T. Norman and Dwight Taylor from a story by Alfred Neumann and Robert Siodmak. Siodmak, of course, is greatly revered as a director of film noir but he did not direct CONFLICT; that job fell to Curtis Bernhardt.

It's interesting to me that a star as big as Bogart was cast in this type of role, not all that long after CASABLANCA (1942) and other heroic roles. And as a matter of fact, Bogart would again play a wife killer two years later in THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS (1947), and in both films he kills for the love of Alexis Smith.

There's also a bit of irony in that Bogart famously wed Lauren Bacall the very same year CONFLICT was released.

In CONFLICT Smith plays Bogart's young sister-in-law, Evelyn, who's clueless to the fact that Richard (Bogart) is in love with her. She begins to realize it after her sister, Richard's shrewish wife Kathryn (Rose Hobart), disappears. In the wake of Kathryn's absence, Richard is unhappy when Evelyn is courted by a handsome young professor (Charles Drake) and things get awkward very quickly.

Richard and Kathryn's friend Dr. Mark Hamilton (Sydney Greenstreet), a psychologist, becomes suspicious about Kathryn's disappearance...and meanwhile some of Kathryn's possessions begin turning up in unexpected places.

I last saw this 86-minute film way back in 2011 and was delighted to revisit it via this beautiful Blu-ray.

Everything about this film is a pleasure, from the star power of Bogart and Greenstreet to the loveliness of young Smith to the well-constructed story. This is a polished film made by pros in front of and behind the camera at Warner Bros.

As I wrote in 2011, the film is also an interesting example of the mid-'40s fascination with psychology, which was often worked into crime films.

More than that I won't say, so as not to spoil the plot. As it happens I had forgotten how it ended myself so revisiting the movie was extra-enjoyable.

CONFLICT was filmed in black and white by Merritt Gerstad. The score was composed by Frederick Hollander, orchestrated by Jerome Moross (THE BIG COUNTRY). Gown were created by Orry-Kelly.

Supporting roles are played by Grant Mitchell, Patrick O'Moore, Ed Stanley, Ann Shoemaker, and James Flavin.

I was interested to learn that Marjorie Hoshell, who plays a telephone operator in an extended sequence with Bogart, married Jeff Chandler the year after this movie. They were married for nearly eight years.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray print of CONFLICT is from a 1080p HD master from a new 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative. It looks absolutely terrific and also has excellent sound.

Disc extras consist of the trailer; the cartoons LIFE WITH FEATHERS (Sylvester & Tweety Bird, 1945) and TRAP HAPPY PORKY (Porky Pig, 1945); the shorts PEEKS AT HOLLYWOOD (1946) and ARE ANIMALS ACTORS? (1945); and a short 25-minute Theater of Romance radio production from September 1945.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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