Product: Brute Force [DVD] [1947] (1947)
Rating: 3.0
WATCH IT FOR LANCASTER & CRONYN
From the violent film noir classics. Tale focuses on convicts pushed to the edge by a militant captain prison guard who later becomes its warden. It's melodramatic at times but it's worth a look for noir fans or anyone who wants to see Lancaster and/or Cronyn in action. Hume Cronyn, by the way, steals some of the scenes (as the captain) from Lancaster (one of the convict leaders who has a wife with cancer). Themes are a bit too preachy, especially at the end, which is a no no these days but back then it was considered okay. DIALOGUE/CHARACTERS: B minus to B; STORY/PLOTTING: B minus; THEMES: C plus; OVERALL GRADE: B minus; WHEN WATCHED: mid April 2011.