In Force of Evil a lawyer gets caught in a three-way squeeze between his racketeer boss, his racketeer brother, and the anti-crime tactics of a new prosecutor who would like to jail the entire lot. Based on the novel Tucker’s People by Ira Wolfert. Directorial debut for the blacklisted Abraham Polonsky.
Martin Scorsese first saw Force of Evil at age 13 and claims it has been a major influence on his work. He has introduced the film to directors Francis Ford Coppola and Michael Powell and to actors such as Robert De Niro.
production details
USA | MGM | 78 minutes | 1948
Director: Abraham Polonsky
Producer: Bob Roberts
Original Story: Ira Wolfert
Cinematography: George Barnes
Editors: Arthur Seidel, Walter Thompson
Music: David Raksin
Script: Abraham Polonsky, Ira Wolfert
Production Design: Richard Day
cast
John Garfield as Joe Morse
Thomas Gomez as Leo Morse
Marie Windsor as Edna Tucker
Howland Chamberlain as Freddie Bauer
Roy Roberts as Ben Tucker
Paul Fix as Bill Ficco
Barry Kelley as Det. Egan
Paul McVey as Hobe Wheelock
Beatrice Pearson as Doris Lowry
Beau Bridges as Frankie Tucker (uncredited)
Arthur O’Connell as Link Hall (uncredited)