The switch, it can’t be done. – Conflict (1945)
Hello to all of the classic people that are returning. I am glad you are back. I want to welcome any new visitors. Today on Classic Movie Review, we are taking on Film Noir Conflict (1945).
I want to give a general shoutout to the Classic People Crew. You know who you are. Thanks a bunch.
This movie stars Humphrey Bogart and Sydney Greenstreet; via virtue of that, it should be a great movie. Not so much this time. Bogart was dark and moody but was not someone you would pull for. Greenstreet did his famous laugh, but it seemed forced.
This film is rated 7.1 on iMDB.com.[1] On Rottentomatoes.com, the film does not have a Tomatometer score and has 76 percent audience approval[2]. This is a little higher than I expected.
New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther said in a June 16, 1945, review:
“A favorite demonstration in dramas of a psychological turn is that a man can’t live with his conscience after he has committed a mortal crime. And that is the thesis expounded with considerable melodramatic grit in Warner Brothers’ “Conflict”…
In this cool and calculated shocker, Humphrey Bogart plays a man who kills his wife because his affections have turned to her younger sister. The murder is done under circumstances that seem to leave him totally unsuspect, but a hole is found in his story by a fat psychologist friend. This friend thereupon starts to nibble and hack away at the murderer’s mind, planting evidence and staging illusions to make him fear that his wife is still alive. Thus the nerve-shattered killer is finally drawn back to the scene of the crime—the inevitable betrayal of bad conscience—and, of course, that’s when he’s caught…
…Curt Bernhardt has directed the story, which is neither original nor profound, for a grimly subdued tone and tempo that have a persuasive push. The action is slow and generally muted, the images conventional but firm and the details of nervous excitation are neatly and clearly worked in…
Mr. Bogart, who carries the whole thing, is appropriately callous and cold, brutish without being sulphurous and perhaps a bit too sullen toward the end. Sydney Greenstreet plays the psychologist with a waddling airiness that makes almost derisive the pompous platitudes he has to speak. Rose Hobart is properly annoying as the wife who gets bumped off and Alexis Smith is a blonde and placid iceberg as the sister whom Mr. Bogart loves. The appeal of this film, which is unpleasant and obviously morbid in theme, will be to those customers who are fascinated by the anxieties of a tortured man, who like to listen figuratively to the desperate thumping of a telltale heart.”[3]
Actors – Conflict (1945)
Returning
The great actor Humphrey Bogart played the homicidal husband, Richard Mason. Since most of the screen time was focused on Bogart, this film should have been better. This fantastic actor was first covered in the wartime propaganda film Sahara (1943).
Sydney Greenstreet played psychologist, Dr. Mark Hamilton. This incredible actor was not in good enough form to save this film. Greenstreet was first covered in the best Film Noir, The Maltese Falcon (1941).
Frank Wilcox served in a minor role as engineer Robert Freston. Wilcox was first covered in Night Editor (1946).
New
Alexis Smith played the younger sister and object of Richard’s (Humphrey Bogart’s) affection, Evelyn Turner. Smith was born in Canada in 1921. Smith’s family moved to California. She began studying ballet and was performing live by the age of 13.
Smith earned a degree in drama from Los Angeles City College. A Warner Bros. talent scout saw her in a school production, and Smith signed a contract with them in 1941. Tall, with blue/green eyes, and a husky voice, Smith, was quickly a rising talent.
The studios marketed Smith as the Dynamite Girl and the Flame Girl. This somewhat limited the roles she was offered. Smith’s movies include Dive Bomber (1941) and Gentleman Jim (1942), two of the four films she made with Errol Flynn. She was in The Constant Nymph (1943) with Charles Boyer. One of her best-received films was Night and Day (1946). This film was followed by Film Noir Conflict (1945), Of Human Bondage (1946), Stallion Road (1947), and Film Noir The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947).
Finishing out the 1950s, Smith paired with Clark Gable in Any Number Can Play (1949), The Woman in White (1948), Here Comes the Groom (1951), The Turning Point (1952), and The Young Philadelphians (1959).
In the 1960s, Smith stopped making films to work on stage with her husband. Smith was also active on television, including shows like “The Love Boat” 1982-1985, “Dallas” 1984-1990, and “Cheers” 1982-1993. Smith’s last film was The Age of Innocence (1993). Smith died in 1993.
Rose Hobart was perfectly cast as the unhappy wife of Richard (Humphrey Bogart), Kathryn Mason. The white streak in her dark hair set the perfect mood. Hobart was born in 1906 in New York City. Hobart showed an early interest in theater and started performing at age 15. Hobart’s first film was Liliom (1930). Some of her later films include Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), Tower of London (1939), I’ll Sell My Life (1941), Salute to the Marines (1943), Conflict (1945), and Bride of Vengeance (1949).
Hobart was blacklisted by the unAmerican House UnAmerican Activities Committee based on the testimony of Lee J. Cobb. Yes, he named names. Hobert moved to television in the 1960s. Hobart died in 2000.
Story – Conflict (1945)
The movie begins with the writing of Dr. Mark Hamilton (Sydney Greenstreet) inviting his friend Richard Mason (Humphrey Bogart) and Kathryn Mason (Rose Hobart) to a party in honor of the couple’s fifth anniversary.
On the night of the party, the Masons are getting dressed. Kathryn is giving Richard the business for coming home late. Kathryn is a snazzy dresser and wears jewelry and flowers. The couple really can’t stand each other. Finally, Kathryn says she knows Richard has a crush on her sister Evelyn Turner (Alexis Smith), who is staying with them. Richard tries to retreat, but Kathryn goes for blood.
Under cross, he admits that he loves the younger sister but has no plans to do anything about it. Kathryn mocks him for falling in love with a younger person during this later stage of his life. Evelyn comes to the room, and they all leave for the party.
Dr. Hamilton is a single psychology professor that enjoys creating and growing rose varieties. Dr. Hamilton gives Kathryn one of the species he has developed. Also at the party is a young psychology professor Prof. Norman Holsworth (Charles Drake). Dr. Grant (Grant Mitchell) and his wife Nora Grant (Ann Shoemaker) are also at the party. Richard can not get past his crush on Evelyn.
The talk turns to love and marriage. Evelyn is a true believer, and Richard perks up when she talks.
On the drive home, Kathryn warns Richard to drive carefully because of the rain. Evelyn is sitting in the backseat of the car. Kathryn and Evelyn are talking about Norman. She also says that their mother wants the younger sister to return home. Richard is checking out Evelyn in the rearview mirror. Kathryn screams lookout as Richard drives off the road.
In a confused swirl, Richard hears Dr. Hamilton talking about obsession, Kathryn talks about never giving Richard a divorce, and Evelyn talks about true love.
Richard wakes in the hospital and only has a broken leg. Dr. Grant is his medical doctor. Richard asks about Evelyn first and then about his wife. They are both okay.
Five weeks later, Richard is standing by the window looking at an x-ray of his leg. When he hears Kathryn and Dr. Grant coming, he hurries to his wheelchair. The doctor examines him, and the leg has healed. Richard pretends he can walk. Dr. Grant says he will be fine in time. Richard confirms that no one can prove that Richard cannot walk. Richard suggests that he and Kathryn go to the lake for a week or so.
Dr. Grant asks about Evelyn and mentions that he thought she and Holsworth were becoming a couple. After the doctor is gone, Richard asks Kathryn if she told Evelyn about the crush. She says no, and Richard apologies for the trouble he has caused. She cuts him down with the quick, “It’s funny how virtuous a man can be when he’s helpless.”
The butler, Phillips (Edwin Stanley), loads the car for the mountain trip. Phillips is in a hurry because he is going on vacation. Richard, still sitting in his wheelchair, calls his work. Kathryn is fussing about getting ready. She is wearing a snazzy outfit with a hat and plenty of jewelry. Richard tells Freston from work that he will have to come to the house that night.
Phillips is gone, and Richard recommends that she go on the trip alone, and he will join her in a day or two. Kathryn gets a nice cameo ring out of the safe to wear with her outfit. Richard reminds Kathryn to drive safely on the mountain roads.
Like a good wife, Kathryn drives straight to Dr. Hamilton’s home to ask him to check in on Richard while she is away. Dr. Hamilton agrees, and he gives Kathryn one of his prize roses to pin onto her dress. Dr. Hamilton says Kathryn and Evelyn are his favorite people. He also says that Kathryn and Richard almost make him believe marriage can work.
Kathryn heads off into the mountains. The roads get smaller and smaller until she is on a twisty one-lane dirt road that I would only take using a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Kathryn comes to a fork in the road; it is 93 miles via Palomar and 81 miles via Martinez Canyon. She takes the shorter route. What is that, like four more hours of driving? Of course, as she drives, there is a light rain falling.
Coming around one of the hairpin turns, Kathryn is blocked by a car on the road. She honks the horn. Suddenly, a dark figure appears in the woods. She begins to turn around when the figure calls her name. She sees that it is Richard and calms down for a second. There she realizes that he is walking with a cane. She begins rolling up the windows. Lock the door. Keep backing away.
Richard walks to the car as Kathryn asks questions to which she already knows the answer. He murders her off-screen, gathers her belongings, and pushes her and the car over the cliff. The car hits a stack of wood, and the logs crush the car forming what looks like a teepee-style fire ring.
Robert Freston (Frank Wilcox) from Richard’s work and Phillips make it to his dark house. Robert has made it back from the murder site and is sitting in his wheelchair in the den. He is on the phone calling the lodge and asking about his wife, although he knows she will never arrive.
Freston and Richard go over the work plans. Richard calls the lodge again and tells his worries to Freston. The phone rings, but Dr. Hamilton is calling to check on Richard. Dr. Hamilton suggests that Richard call the police. As he does, Freston shows some plans for a tanker. Part of the design looks like the log fall on the car. Richard is a little shook as the police answer his call.
In the morning, Richard, Dr. Hamilton, Patrick O’Moore, and Phillips are in the den while Det. Lt. Egan (Patrick O’Moore) and another cop ask them questions. Why is Lt. Egan British? At first, the cops focus on the visit to Dr. Hamilton. They then ask Richard what she was wearing. He described a custom green dress, saying she had a wedding ring, an engagement ring, a cameo ring, and a heart-shaped locket with pictures. Richard continues that she had on a rose and looked very smart.
A highway patrol officer arrives and says they have not located the car or any sign of a crash. Det. Lt. Egan brings up the idea that Kathryn would have run away. Dr. Hamilton pipes up that they should send for Evelyn, and Richard says he already has.
Evelyn comes to stay at the house with Richard. Richard is out of the wheelchair and walking with just a cane. Evelyn asks Richard if there was something wrong with Kathryn before she disappeared. He tells her that Kathryn was imagining that Richard was in love with Evelyn. Dr. Hamilton shows up outside of the window to look at the roses. He comes inside. The phone rings, and it is the police.
Richard is called to police headquarters to examine a clue. They have picked up a homeless man with the cameo ring. He said he picked it out of a lady’s pocketbook on a crowded street corner. The homeless man described Kathryn’s green hat.
Dr. Hamilton recommends that Richard take some time off and go to a fishing lodge with him. Richard invites Evelyn to come along. Dr. Hamilton leaves. Richard says goodnight to Evelyn, but he is pining pretty severely.
Richard enters his bedroom and smells his wife’s perfume. He is confused and buzzes for Phillips. When the butler arrives, he confirms that he is the only one that has entered the room. Richard knows it is not Evelyn because she has been with him.
As Richard prepares for bed, he finds Kathryn’s keys lying on a book. He hurries to his den and opens the safe. Inside, Richard finds Kathryn’s wedding ring. He calls the police and tells Det. Lt. Egan about the findings.
Later, Richard and Evelyn are fishing from a pier. Dr. Hamilton returns from fishing on a boat. They are all a lot more relaxed. They walk down a trail towards the hotel. Dr. Hamilton says he has invited Holsworth to the lodge as a companion for the younger Evelyn. Richard is not happy about this. They pass by the bonfire area, and the stacked logs remind Richard of the log fall from when he killed Kathryn.
Holsworth and Evelyn dance in the lodge as Richard and Dr. Hamilton watch from the table. Richard is sulking as Dr. Hamilton talks about what a good couple the young people would be. A porter tells Richard that he has a long-distance call. Richard goes to the booth, and the operator transfers the call. However, no one is on the line. Richard is shaken and calls the cops to see if they were the ones that called. It was not. When Richard asks the operator who the call was from, she says she believes the name was Mrs. Mason.
Holsworth takes Evelyn outside for some fresh air. Back at the table, Richard brings up the homeless man again. Dr. Hamilton says all killers are egomaniacs who put their needs above everyone else’s. Dr. Hamilton says there are no perfect crimes, and the killer carries the burden of not being discovered.
Outside, Holsworth proposes to Evelyn. I think this is their second date! Evelyn says she can’t answer at this time. Richard shows up, saying it is cold and Evelyn needs a wrap. Holsworth goes inside to get the wrap. Evelyn tells Richard about the proposal and her refusal to answer. Richard makes his move, saying she feels for him like he feels for her. Evelyn emphatically says that is false, as she does not love Richard. Holsworth comes back, and Richard leaves. Evelyn follows to find out what is wrong.
Evelyn goes to Richard’s room. He is sulking by the window. Evelyn asks for clarification, and Richard says he loves her. Evelyn knows that Kathryn was right about his crush. She says the situation is impossible and can’t stand the pressure. He tries to double-talk her into accepting him. Evelyn breaks down from the verbal attack and starts crying. Richard pulls a handkerchief out of the drawer. It is monogrammed with Kathryn’s initial. Evelyn says that is what she meant when she said Kathryn would always be with them.
Back in the city, Richard goes to see Det. Lt. Egan. Richard starts throwing out theories about what happened to his wife like he was the killer on an episode of “Columbo” 1971–2003. He questions the police about the homeless pickpocket. Richard says he may hire his own detectives and leaves in a huff.
Richard goes to his office and meets with some of his staff. Richard’s personal mail is on his desk. In the stack, he finds a letter written on Kathyn’s stationery that appears to be in her handwriting. At the same time, the record store across the street starts playing Richard and Kathryn’s favorite song. Richard slams the window shut and turns his attention to the letter.
Inside the envelope is a pawnshop ticket, number 22787. Richard takes a cab to the pawnshop. He presents the ticket to a tall, slender man. The broker confirms that the ticket is for the locket that Kathryn carried. Richard examines the locket. It is inscribed and has the couple’s pictures. Richard looks at the pawn book and what appears to be his wife’s signature from two days earlier. The broker keeps the ticket but won’t let Richard take the object because he was not the one that pawned it. The broker describes Kathryn and her green custom outfit.
Richard leaves the pawn shop. Richard is in such a haze he forgets about the taxi he left waiting.
He returns with a detective. The broker is much shorter and swears he doesn’t have the locket. Richard no longer has the ticket, and they look up 22787 in the pawn book. There is someone else’s name and a different object. The detective dismisses Richard as being mistaken.
Richard meets with a handwriting expert at the university who is a friend of Dr. Hamilton. The expert says it looks like Kathryn’s writing, but it could be from a close family member. Dr. Hamilton mentions that Evelyn is still at the lake with Holsworth and is in good hands.
Richard goes home and looks for Kathryn’s stationery, but it is not in the drawer. Phillips tells Richard that Evelyn took the stationary when she went to the lake. He also mentions that Evelyn wore the same perfume brand as Kathryn.
Richard heads back to the lodge. He finds Evelyn packing to leave. She is leaving because Richard professed his love to her the previous night. She has written him a note on Kathryn’s stationery. Richard comments that the writing is so similar. They spat back and forth. Finally, Richard insists on driving Evelyn back to town.
Before they can pull away, a porter tells Richard he has a phone call. The caller is Dr. Hamilton. He tells Richard that the expert confirmed that the writing was indeed Kathryn’s. Richard sees Holsworth walking around like a hangdog. Evelyn has friend-zoned Holsworth. Richard tells the young man not to give up and to go to his car to try again with Evelyn.
Richard is in a store buying some luggage, presumably, so he can flee, when he sees Kathryn in her outfit on the street. He follows her but can’t catch her because of his bad leg. The woman enters an apartment building, and Richard follows, seeing which room she went into. When Richard knocks on the door, the building owner comes up the stairs and asks if he is looking for someone. She says the room is empty and is for rent. Richard asks to see the room. He inspects every door, closest, and exit but finds no one.
Richard starts talking about his wife and the fact that she was murdered. He then goes on a jag about throwing bags of cats into the river. The building owner screams for help, and Richard leaves.
Richard makes his way to Dr. Hamilton for a psychiatric session. Dr. Hamilton asks if they are speaking as friends or as a client/doctor. Richard tells the doctor to consider the visit in any way he wants. Richard tells about seeing Kathryn on the street and not believing in the supernatural. Dr. Hamilton goes over a few ideas, such as sleep-walking or amnesia. Dr. Hamilton says he cannot help Richard because Richard has not placed the doctor in his trust. Richard asks, and Dr. Hamilton says that the only time he has seen a case like this was a man who murdered his wife. Richard leaves and makes the night drive back up the mountain road to the place where he murdered Kathryn. He climbs down the hill where the stack of logs covers his wife’s car. Richard shines the light into the car, and there is nobody inside.
From the other side of the car, Dr. Hamilton and several police officers are there to arrest him. The police reveal that they found Kathryn’s body the day after the murder. Dr. Hamilton tells Richard that the rose was the clue that caught him because she didn’t receive it until after she left home. The lady Richard saw on the street was a policewoman, the ring thief was a setup, as was the pawn shop and the returned items. Evelyn was not part of the setup. Richard seems a little happy that his wife is dead and that he is not crazy. The police now have the evidence to convict him. Richard says, “It’s all over, the end, Doctor.”
Conclusion – Conflict (1945)
Richard’s (Humphrey Bogart) motive is to exchange his wife for her sister. This is a more advanced version of the roommate switch as seen in Season 6, Episode 11, titled – “The Switch” on “Seinfeld” 1989–1998. Jerry was trying to do the impossible and switch the roommate he was dating.
But is it possible without murder? Australian actor Jack Thompson of Breaker Morant (1980) fame somehow managed to live successfully with two sisters, Leona and Bunkie King, for 15 years.
There seem to be some funny movements in this film that would seem hard to accomplish. Kathryn left the house first on the way to the lodge. Richard was able to get ahead of her on the mountain road. This seems very unlikely, and no other cars would be blocked by his car.
Also, after Dr. Hamilton dropped the bomb on Richard, how did he and the police get to the murder site ahead of Richard. How long did they have to hide in the dark before springing the trap? How did Dr. Hamilton get down the hill?
I did get some insight into the lackluster performances in this film. In The Making of Casablanca: Bogart, Bergman, and World War II by, Aljean Harmetz states that Bogart hated the screenplay and told Jack Warner, “I’m sorry, Jack. I just can’t do it. My stomach will not let me. I am an honest man and I have to be honest with myself in this manner. If you want to get tough with me … I will feel that I have lost a friend.” Warner would not produce Passage to Marseille (1944) until Bogart completed the role in this film.
In 1947, they released a better version of this film with Bogart, Alexis Smith, and Barbara Stanwyck titled The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947).[4]
World-Famous Short Summary – The switch, it can’t be done.
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[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037611/
[2] Conflict – Rotten Tomatoes
[3] https://www.nytimes.com/1945/06/16/archives/the-screen-conflict-psychological-drama-with-humphrey-bogart-as-the.html
[4] Conflict (1945 film) – Wikipedia
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