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MysteryCrimeThriller

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.

Release Date : 1950-01-26

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Warner Bros. Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Viveca Lindfors

Character Name : Lysa Radoff

Original Name : Viveca Lindfors

Gender : Female

Dane Clark

Character Name : Ben Arno

Original Name : Dane Clark

Gender : Male

Virginia Mayo

Character Name : Nurse Julie Benson

Original Name : Virginia Mayo

Gender : Female

Edmond O'Brien

Character Name : Steve Connolly

Original Name : Edmond O'Brien

Gender : Male

Gordon MacRae

Character Name : Bob Corey

Original Name : Gordon MacRae

Gender : Male

Ed Begley

Character Name : Capt. Garcia

Original Name : Ed Begley

Gender : Male

Frances Robinson

Character Name : Mrs. Blayne

Original Name : Frances Robinson

Gender : Female

Richard Rober

Character Name : Solly Blayne

Original Name : Richard Rober

Gender : Male

Sheila MacRae

Character Name : Bonnie Willis

Original Name : Sheila MacRae

Gender : Female

David Hoffman

Character Name : Burns

Original Name : David Hoffman

Gender : Male

Monte Blue

Character Name : Det. Sgt. Pluther (uncredited)

Original Name : Monte Blue

Gender : Male

Russ Conway

Character Name : Police Broadcaster (uncredited)

Original Name : Russ Conway

Gender : Male

John Daheim

Character Name : Bingo - Prizefighter (uncredited)

Original Name : John Daheim

Gender : Male

John Dehner

Character Name : Blake - Plainclothes Cop (uncredited)

Original Name : John Dehner

Gender : Male

Dick Gordon

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Gordon

Gender : Male

Fred Kelsey

Character Name : Fight Fan (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Kelsey

Gender : Male

Charles Lane

Character Name : Dr. Nolan (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Lane

Gender : Male

Ray Montgomery

Character Name : Attendant (uncredited)

Original Name : Ray Montgomery

Gender : Male

Ida Moore

Character Name : Sybil (uncredited)

Original Name : Ida Moore

Gender : Female

John Ridgely

Character Name : Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Original Name : John Ridgely

Gender : Male

Charles Sherlock

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Sherlock

Gender : Male

Leonard Strong

Character Name : Lee Quong (uncredited)

Original Name : Leonard Strong

Gender : Male

Helen Westcott

Character Name : Miss Haller - Receptionist at Mortuary (uncredited)

Original Name : Helen Westcott

Gender : Female

Edward Biby

Character Name : Fight Fan (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Biby

Gender : Male

Paul Bradley

Character Name : Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Bradley

Gender : Male

Joe Gilbert

Character Name : Fight Fan (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Gilbert

Gender : Male

James Gonzalez

Character Name : Club Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : James Gonzalez

Gender : Male

Creighton Hale

Character Name : Cab Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Creighton Hale

Gender : Male

Vinton Hayworth

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Vinton Hayworth

Gender : Male

Jack Hill

Character Name : Cop at Shootout (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Hill

Gender : Male

J. Louis Johnson

Character Name : Hommel - Janitor (uncredited)

Original Name : J. Louis Johnson

Gender : Male

Charles Jordan

Character Name : Cab Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Jordan

Gender : Male

Douglas Kennedy

Character Name : Voice Heard on Radio (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : Douglas Kennedy

Gender : Male

Mike Killian

Character Name : Quong's Doctor (uncredited)

Original Name : Mike Killian

Gender : Male

Mike Lally

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Mike Lally

Gender : Male

Will Lee

Character Name : Cab Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Will Lee

Gender : Male

Carl M. Leviness

Character Name : Canteen Customer (uncredited)

Original Name : Carl M. Leviness

Gender : Male

Max Linder

Character Name : Canteen Customer (uncredited)

Original Name : Max Linder

Gender : Male

Pierce Lyden

Character Name : Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Pierce Lyden

Gender : Male

Philo McCullough

Character Name : Police Car Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Philo McCullough

Gender : Male

Jack Mower

Character Name : Detective George (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Mower

Gender : Male

Jack Perrin

Character Name : Fremont Hotel Lobby Loafer (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Perrin

Gender : Male

Anthony Redondo

Character Name : Man on Sidewalk (uncredited)

Original Name : Anthony Redondo

Gender : Male

Waclaw Rekwart

Character Name : Bartender (uncredited)

Original Name : Waclaw Rekwart

Gender : Male

Harry Seymour

Character Name : Rocky - Pianist (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Seymour

Gender : Male

Frankie Van

Character Name : Second (uncredited)

Original Name : Frankie Van

Gender : Male

Mack Williams

Character Name : Dr. Herbert Anstead (uncredited)

Original Name : Mack Williams

Gender : Male

Harry Woods

Character Name : Dick Manning - Man from Detroit (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Woods

Gender : Male

Clifton Young

Character Name : Cabby (uncredited)

Original Name : Clifton Young

Gender : Male

Ernest Anderson

Character Name : James - Party Servant 9 (uncredited)

Original Name : Ernest Anderson

Gender : Male

Santiago Martínez

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Santiago Martínez

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

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