Warner Bros. Pictures
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Backfire
That "White Heat" girl turns it on again!..
When he's discharged from a military hospital, ex-GI Bob Corey goes on a search for his army buddy Steve Connolly. A reformed crook, Connolly is on the lam from a trumped-up murder rap, and Corey hopes to clear his pal. Tagging along is Army nurse Julie Benson, who has fallen for Corey.
- Original title
- Backfire
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
John Chard
Feb 16, 2020 · via TMDB
I didn't only break his back the last ten days, I broke his heart. Backfire is directed by Vincent Sherman and collectively written by Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts and Larry Marcus. It stars Virginia Mayo, Gordon MacRae, Edmond O'Brien, Dane Clark, Ed Begley and Viveca Lindfors. Music is by Daniele Amfitheatrof and cinematography by Carl Guthrie. While recuperating from wartime back injuries at a hospital, veteran Bob Corey (Macrae) is visited on Christmas Eve by a beautiful stranger with a message that his army friend Steve Connolly (O'Brien) is seriously injured and in trouble with the police. Upon release, and aided by his girlfriend nurse, Julie Benson (Mayo), Bob enters the labyrinthine underworld of post war Los Angeles in search of his friend. The warning signs that this might not be a particularly sparky film noir are evident with the lie on the film's poster. Tantalisingly suggesting Mayo as a femme fatale type, the girl from "White Heat" is anything but since she's literally an angel of mercy. Pic is a trifle of nifty noir moments and awkwardly acted scenarios. That it's needlessly convoluted only makes the problems of the staid script come to light. The problems faced by returning veterans was a recurring noir theme, and here, even though it's not pushed forward to the maximum, it at least gives the story some psychological heart. It has a good cast, good monochrome photography and is played out with some classic noir staples, but it's not all it can be, compounded by a weak finale that feels like a writers compromise. 6/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Viveca Lindfors
Lysa Radoff
Dane Clark
Ben Arno
Virginia Mayo
Nurse Julie Benson
Edmond O'Brien
Steve Connolly
Gordon MacRae
Bob Corey
Ed Begley
Capt. Garcia
Frances Robinson
Mrs. Blayne
Richard Rober
Solly Blayne
Sheila MacRae
Bonnie Willis
David Hoffman
Burns
Monte Blue
Det. Sgt. Pluther (uncredited)
Russ Conway
Police Broadcaster (uncredited)
John Daheim
Bingo - Prizefighter (uncredited)
John Dehner
Blake - Plainclothes Cop (uncredited)
Fred Kelsey
Fight Fan (uncredited)
Charles Lane
Dr. Nolan (uncredited)
Ray Montgomery
Attendant (uncredited)
Ida Moore
Sybil (uncredited)
John Ridgely
Plainclothesman (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock
Party Guest (uncredited)
Leonard Strong
Lee Quong (uncredited)
Helen Westcott
Miss Haller - Receptionist at Mortuary (uncredited)
Creighton Hale
Cab Driver (uncredited)
Vinton Hayworth
Waiter (uncredited)
Charles Jordan
Cab Driver (uncredited)
Douglas Kennedy
Voice Heard on Radio (voice) (uncredited)
Mike Lally
Party Guest (uncredited)
Will Lee
Cab Driver (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness
Canteen Customer (uncredited)
Pierce Lyden
Detective (uncredited)
Philo McCullough
Police Car Driver (uncredited)
Jack Mower
Detective George (uncredited)
Jack Perrin
Fremont Hotel Lobby Loafer (uncredited)
Mack Williams
Dr. Herbert Anstead (uncredited)
Harry Woods
Dick Manning - Man from Detroit (uncredited)
Clifton Young
Cabby (uncredited)
Ernest Anderson
James - Party Servant 9 (uncredited)
Anton Grot
Art Direction
Max Steiner
Additional Music
Vincent Sherman
Director
Anthony Veiller
Producer
Don Alvarado
Production Manager
Sidney Cutner
Orchestrator
Ivan Goff
Screenplay
Lawrence B. Marcus
Screenplay
Lawrence B. Marcus
Story
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Jan 26, 1950
New York City, New York
Feb 11, 1950
