They Made Me a Fugitive

Trevor Howard stars in this 1947 British crime thriller as ex-serviceman Clem Morgan, who—bored with civilian life—joins a gang of black-marketers for the excitement and money. But after standing up to his sadistic boss, Narcy (Griffith Jones), Clem is made the patsy for a senseless murder and sentenced to prison. An edge of desperation and doom sinks in as the once jovial heist man becomes embittered and eventually escapes to take his revenge on Narcy. Howard, most famous for his much more civilized turns in films like Brief Encounter and The Third Man, delivers one of his most dynamic performances as the hate-driven criminal wrapped up in emotional scar tissue, a man who lets the compassion of his former self seep out only in quiet moments, and Jones is also effective as a homicidal brute who orders beatings and murders without a trace of humanity. Filmmaker Alberto Cavalcanti's British underworld is a suitably seedy conglomeration of shadowy alleys, foggy waterfront dives, and claustrophobic underground clubs, and he matches the dark urban underworld setting with taut direction and tight editing. Hard-edged and unexpectedly violent, this impressive yet understated crime picture is probably the closest that British cinema ever came to creating a true film noir. Debuting on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)