Overview
A gripping tale of ambition and familial loyalty set against the backdrop of organized crime.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- brooding
- foreboding
- bleak
- classic noir night
- crime film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, poetic, and highly influential pinnacle of American film noir, despite occasional concerns about ornate dialogue and narrative focus.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Polonsky combines eloquent dialogue, abrupt editing, and Hopper-like urban compositions to create a lyrical noir texture.
Joe Morse's consolidation scheme directly threatens Leo Morse's independent numbers operation and their fraternal bond.
Joe's plan to merge small-time numbers operators into a centralized racket frames organized crime as ruthless economic consolidation.
The New York numbers racket, looming gangster control, and recurring dread give the film a fatalistic metropolitan atmosphere.
Films like Force of Evil, and why
The Asphalt Jungle
poetic film noir, morally compromised protagonists, and bleak urban crime
White Heat
brotherhood, criminal ambition, and tragic noir fatalism
The Roaring Twenties
stylized urban gangster drama with corruption and doomed criminal enterprises
The Naked City
hard-edged American crime noir centered on systemic criminal power
Movie Details
- Director
- Abraham Polonsky
- Release Date
- 1950-08-24
- Runtime
- 79 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (147)
Cast
- John Garfield
- Thomas Gomez
- Marie Windsor
- Howland Chamberlain
- Roy Roberts
- Paul Fix
- Stanley Prager
- Barry Kelley
- Paul McVey
- Beatrice Pearson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Force of Evil about?
- A driven New York lawyer tries to centralize the numbers racket, forcing his cautious older brother into a fatal collision with organized crime.
- What is Force of Evil like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Force of Evil as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Force of Evil violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Force of Evil as mild.
- What did critics think of Force of Evil?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, poetic, and highly influential pinnacle of American film noir, despite occasional concerns about ornate dialogue and narrative focus.
- Which films are like Force of Evil?
- Films with a similar feel include The Asphalt Jungle, White Heat, The Roaring Twenties, and The Naked City.
- How long is Force of Evil?
- Force of Evil runs 79 minutes.
- Where can I watch Force of Evil?
- In United States, Force of Evil streams on YouTube TV.
