This brutally oxymoronic titled film features Burt Lancaster and Joan Fontaine making foolish choices in a London locale drama. The two cross paths as he runs from a murder he has just committed. She remains oblivious to this but his violent outbursts remain a deep concern.
Former Canadian POW, Bill Saunders (Lancaster) more than likely in the throng of PTSD, strikes out in a pub one night with the publican who smashes his head after falling from a blow by Saunders. She passively allows him a place to hide but then wants to be rid of him. He persists and they strike up an affair. However, witness to the murder (Robert Newton), blackmails Saunders to pull off a major heist of valuable penicillin.
In similar desperate situation films (The Killers, Criss Cross, Sorry Wrong Number) for Burt the females (Ava Gardner, Yvonne DeCarlo, Barbera Stanwyck) are out to exploit but Fontaine hangs tough with her man despite major warning signs.
The three leads give solid performances while DP Russell Metty gives the film a suitable claustrophobic and dark look but the actions of Saunders and Wharton responding to their dilemmas lack logic as they dig themselves a deeper hole, their grim optimism at crunch time ringing hollow.
Former Canadian POW, Bill Saunders (Lancaster) more than likely in the throng of PTSD, strikes out in a pub one night with the publican who smashes his head after falling from a blow by Saunders. She passively allows him a place to hide but then wants to be rid of him. He persists and they strike up an affair. However, witness to the murder (Robert Newton), blackmails Saunders to pull off a major heist of valuable penicillin.
In similar desperate situation films (The Killers, Criss Cross, Sorry Wrong Number) for Burt the females (Ava Gardner, Yvonne DeCarlo, Barbera Stanwyck) are out to exploit but Fontaine hangs tough with her man despite major warning signs.
The three leads give solid performances while DP Russell Metty gives the film a suitable claustrophobic and dark look but the actions of Saunders and Wharton responding to their dilemmas lack logic as they dig themselves a deeper hole, their grim optimism at crunch time ringing hollow.