Crossfire is a 1947 American Film Noir directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring three men named Robert: Robert Young, Robert Mitchum, and Robert Ryan. Also in the cast are Gloria Grahame, Paul Kelly, and Sam Levene.
In Washington, DC, a man named Joseph Samuels (Levene) is found beaten to death in his apartment. Detective Finlay (Young) first focuses on a young soldier, Cpl. Arthur Mitchell, who had been seen in Samuels's company earlier that night and whose wallet was found in Samuels's couch. The leader of Mitchell's unit, Sgt. Peter Keeley (Mitchum), doesn't believe that Mitchell could possibly be a killer, so he investigates the murder himself. Suspicion gradually shifts from Mitchell to another member of the unit, Sgt. Montgomery (Ryan), who'd also interacted with Samuels that night—and who turns out to have his own motive for murder.
One of the first Hollywood films to address the topic of antisemitism, Crossfire became something of a Dueling Movies example along with Gentleman's Agreement, another major 1947 release exploring the same theme.
Tropes:
- Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: Keeley (Mitchum) is rather philosophical about the possibility that his wife may have stepped out on him while he was away at war.
- Action Prologue: Begins with the murder of Samuels.
- Badass Boast: Keeley, when being questioned by Finlay. All the better for being delivered in Robert Mitchum's perpetually sleepy-eyed murmur.Keeley: If you think he killed anyone, you're crazy.Finlay: Why?Keeley: He's not the type.Finlay: Everyone's the type.Keeley: He couldn't kill anybody.Finlay: Could you?Keeley: I have.Finlay: Where?Keeley: [Pause] Where you get medals for it.
- Bluffing the Murderer: Montgomery kills Floyd, the only witness to his murder of Samuels. Finlay, who has no hard evidence against Montgomery, devises a ruse. Leroy, another soldier, leads Montgomery to believe that Floyd is actually still alive, then shows Montgomery a paper with the address of the boarding house Floyd is at. Montgomery then shows up at Floyd's room, claiming to have been sent there by Leroy—except that Leroy gave him the wrong address. Montgomery's arrival at the right room proves that he was there before and catches him out as the murderer.
- B-Movie: Shot in 20 days for $500,000. The Other Wiki calls it the first B-Movie to be nominated for Best Picture.
- Bowdlerize: The motive behind the killing in the source novel is homophobia. This was changed to antisemitism for the film due to The Hays Code outlawing any mention of homosexuality in films at the time.
- Chiaroscuro: Lots of moody, shadowy lighting throughout, setting a tense mood.
- Cigarette of Anxiety: Floyd, who was there when Montgomery killed Samuels, is very jittery and has trouble lighting his cigarette when Montgomery meets him at the boarding house.
- Disappointed by the Motive: Finlay admits once he's confirmed Montgomery's guilt that it was obvious from the start, but Finlay couldn't understand the motive. Montgomery had nothing to gain from the crime, and Samuels had nothing for Montgomery to be jealous of. Finlay disgustedly realizes the motive was nothing more than the fact Montgomery hates Jewish people so much he'd beat one to death for telling him what to do.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Montgomery beat Samuels to death over a minor, perceived insult. When Floyd calls him out on it, Montgomery simply snarls that "I'm not gonna let some Jew tell me how to drink my liquor!"
- The Film of the Book: Adapted from the 1945 novel The Brick Foxhole by Richard Brooks.
- Flashback: Both Mitchell and Montgomery give their versions of what went down at the nightclub via flashback scenes.
- Hate Crimes Are a Special Kind of Evil: Deconstructed. While Samuels' murder turns out to be a hate crime, Finlay points out Montgomery and men like him are the product of systemic racism. They are the most extreme form, but they've been created by a society that tacitly approves of their behavior.Finlay: This business of hating Jews comes in a lot of different sizes. There's the "you can't join our country club" kind and "you can't live around here" kind. Yes, and the "you can't work here" kind. And because we stand for all of these, we get Monty's kind. He's just one guy, we don't get him very often, but he grows out of all the rest.
- Hitler Cam: Used for a shot of Montgomery when Leroy picks up the piece of paper with the address that Montgomery drops at his feet.
- Impairment Shot: Done during Mitchell's flashback when he recounts getting very very drunk in Samuels's apartment.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Montgomery really, really, really hates Jews. Which turns out to be all the motive he needed to kill Samuels.Finlay: Monty's hate is like a gun. If it goes off, it can kill somebody.
- Posthumous Character: Samuels, murdered in the opening scene, pops up in both flashbacks.
- Satellite Character: Montgomery is the bad guy and Finlay is the detective. Keeley—has almost nothing to do, really. Mitchum's character could have been cut out of the movie without making big changes to the story.
- Sexy Backless Outfit: How Ginny is dressed when Mitchell meets her in a nightclub.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: A major theme. Mitchell, Samuels, Montgomery, and Keeley are all traumatized by the war and (with the exception of Samuels) can't re-acclimate to being civilians. They struggle in different ways. Mitchell is imploding, Montgomery explodes at anyone who angers him, and Keeley immerses himself in his career as a soldier.Keeley: The snakes are loose. Anyone can get them. They're friends of mine.
- Stranger in a Familiar Land: Another main theme. Samuels commiserates with Mitchell about how hard it is to go back to ordinary civilian life after having spent years fighting in the war. Mitchell himself is feeling alienated from his old career as an artist and is very nervous about seeing his wife again.
- You Have Failed Me: Montgomery kills Bowers, the only witness to the crime, when he learns that Bowers has contacted other soldiers for money to get out of town.