Spikeopath Conflict is directed by Curtis Bernhardt and collectively written by Arthur T. Horman, Dwight Taylor, Robert Siodmak and Alfred Neumann. It stars Humphrey Bogart, Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet, Rose Hobart, Charles Drake and Grant Mitchell. Music is by Frederick Hollander and cinematography by Merritt B. Gerstad.Still under exposed after all these years, Conflict is deserving of reappraisals by the film noir crowd. Plot has Richard Mason (Bogart) stuck in a loveless marriage to Kathryn (Hobart), with his misery further compounded by the fact he's in love with his sister-in-law, Evelyn (Smith). Finally having enough, Richard murders his wife and intends to woo the younger Evelyn into his life. However, when Richard starts glimpsing his wife out in the city and little items of hers start turning up, Richard starts to doubt his own mind.In essence it's a psychological thriller spiced with German Expressionism, perhaps unsurprising given that Bernhardt and Siodmak are key components of the production. The psychoanalysis angle played out would of course become a big feature in the film noir cycle, and here it makes for a most interesting story as Bernhardt and Gerstad dress it up in looming shadows, rain sodden streets and treacherous mountain roads. The pungent air of fatalism is evident throughout, the pace of the piece purposely sedate to marry up with the sombre tones as Richard Mason, a disturbed menace, him self becomes menaced.OK, you don't have to be an ace detective to figure out just exactly what is going on, so the reveal at film's closure lacks a bit of a punch, but the atmospherically tinged journey is well worth undertaking regardless. Bernhardt's camera is often like some peeping tom spying on the warped machinations of Mason, and all the while Hollander adds thematically compliant music to proceedings. Bogart was pretty much press ganged into making the picture, but come the final product it's evident that even though he may have been unhappy initially, he ended up delivering one the most intriguing turns in his wonderful career.Greenstreet is his usual presence, here playing the psychiatrist family friend who delivers the telling lines whilst being ahead of the game. Unfortunately the two principal lady characters aren't done any favours by the otherwise taut screenplay, especially Evelyn, who as the catalyst for the sinister shadings never gets chance to build a strong emotional bridge to Richard Mason's psychological make-up. Still, when you got Bogart as an unhinged killer attired in trench-coat and fedora, and a director who knows how to place him in the right visual scenarios, the flaws can't kill the film's strengths. 7/10

bsmith5552 "Conflict" is one of Humphrey Bogart's lesser known films sandwiched between two of his best, "To Have and To Have Not" and "The Big Sleep". It is nonetheless, an enjoyable noir mystery.There is murder, deception and mystery. We have a love triangle involving Richard Mason (Bogey), his wife Kathryn (Rose Hobart) and Kathryn's younger sister Evelyn (Alexis Smith). A murder takes place and the murderer is satisfied that the perfect crime has been committed. But has it? What incriminating evidence did the murderer overlook? Is the murder victim really dead? Family friend Dr. Mark Hamilton (Sydney Greenstreet) seems to know more about the crime that he's letting on.Directed by Curtis Berhardt, the film is a fine example of 40s "film noir". It has all of the elements of the genre...dark shadows, night scenes, femme fatales and mystery. Although the identity of the murderer is known, the rest of the film is devoted to the question of whether or not the murder will be the perfect crime...or not.Bogey is well, Bogey playing the lead character with his usual conviction. And any teaming of he and the venerable Sydney Greenstreet is worth the price of admission alone. Their exchanges and knowing glances are at the heart of the story.An entertaining little film.

Patryk Czekaj Conflict is definitely a disturbing and horrifying psychological thriller. With it's maliciously unnerving mood and heavy, dismal cinematography, the film aspires to achieve an all-new level of anxiety.It's about a guilt-ridden man - Humphrey Bogart's arguably most sinister role ever - who gradually plunges deeper and deeper into state of a devastating mental illness. Hinting at a thorough psychological evaluation in the beginning, Conflict analyzes how a fearless and brutal man - convinced that he's just killed his innocent wife - is trapped in a vortex of clues, which might lead to a mightily shocking revelation. The more observant viewers might already be able to uncover the whole mystery in the first act, but for those who are in desperate need of a satisfying and suspenseful intrigue Conflict brings a genuinely captivating mystery.Sydney Greenstreet - with his usual charm, sophisticated mannerism, and most-cheerful laughter - plays the psychoanalyst and a friend to Mr. Bogart. The manner in which he exhibits his impeccable intelligence is the film's most-promising quality. And Bogart, with all his devilish attitude and increasing fear is as convincing (and as stylish and graceful) as he was in Casablanca or The Maltese Falcon.Conflict is a lesser-known film noir, but it's crucial to note that its mightily clever and disquieting premise - along with a bunch of twisted and deranged sequences - delivers a seriously thrilling melodrama that's not to be argued with.

mark.waltz This is not "How to Murder Your Wife". In fact, it could be called "How NOT TO....". First, if you have a mutual friend that is a psychology genius who had their training in Vienna (where all great movie shrinks get their training...), forget about it! Second, make sure that the woman you want to kill your wife to be with actually feels the same way about you! Those are two things that Humphrey Bogart forgot to check out before covering his wife's car with over-sized Lincoln Logs. The poor unfortunate wife is Rose Hobart, a rather shrewish woman aware that her husband has fallen in love with her younger sister (Alexis Smith), and unwilling to give her husband a divorce. Bogart and Hobart feign affection for their friends, who have thrown them a fifth wedding anniversary party. Psychiatrist friend Sydney Greenstreet praises them for their seemingly flawless marriage, but this shrewd bachelor must see beyond the act the two put on. There seems to be no reason given as to why Hobart and Bogart got married in the first place, let alone stayed together for five years. And why Hobart is so condescending to her husband beyond the knowledge of his love for her sister (and still won't let him go!) is also not explained.What makes the film enjoyable (and includes it in the category of film noir) is watching the pieces fall together that bring Bogart down. This was his first bad guy since becoming a leading man, so it is obvious as to what attracted him to the part. Poor Alexis Smith was wasted for much of her time at Warner Brothers, playing a variety of one dimensional good or bad characters that didn't propel her out of the string of second leads. She had proved to be very adept at comedy in "The Doughgirls" the year before this, but unfortunately was saddled with mostly dull parts. It wouldn't be until Broadway beckoned her for "Follies" that she got the acclaim she truly deserved, and her part on "Dallas" in the 80's proved she had been worthy of better stuff! Hobart, a forgotten leading lady of the early 30's, is sadly given a truly horrible character to play; It takes a viewer of incredible conscience to not want her to get the fate she does. Bogart's character is not the egomaniac that Greenstreet's shrink makes him out to be, and actually deserves sympathy. It makes you wonder how the story would continue past the obvious conclusion. Greenstreet's overly wise psychiatrist gets a little annoying with his preachy psychological mumbo-jumbo. His own ego makes me wonder if the inmate is really running the asylum....