Backfire

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Backfire

Released Jan 26, 1950

1h 31m

Mystery & Thriller

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2 Reviews

36%

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100+ Ratings

A World War II veteran (Gordon MacRae) and his nurse (Virginia Mayo) search for his buddy (Edmond O'Brien), a reformed hoodlum on the run.

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Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Interesting film noir mystery whodunit with a dream-like, visionary tone.

Jul 18, 2010

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

The acting by MacRae and O'Brien was better than the script deserved, which elevated the thriller into a so-so one.

Rated: C+

Sep 26, 2002

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john scavens

Backfire is a great movie,great acting,great story and great film noir!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/31/23

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Russ G

Gave up on this about halfway through as it was going nowhere fast and plot devices were all jokes. The lead is really weak.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/31/22

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Joe

Horrible movie. The piano playing can peel wall paper. If you dont have a headache but want one, watch this movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/20/22

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deke p

Good 1950 film noir, crime . VIRGINIA MAYO very good lookin. Takes part in L.A. again. I raised my rating of it one whole star. when saw it again 12.3.2020. Much better than when i watched most of it, except the end, sometime ago.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

Average film noir that has some of the usual trappings (flashbacks, twisty plot, chiaroscuro lighting) but doesn't really distinguish itself. Perhaps this is because the lead is played by ho-hum Gordon MacRae who is flat on his back in the hospital for most of the picture, wondering where his ex-Army buddy and future ranch partner, Edmond O'Brien, has disappeared to. O'Brien, a noir veteran (he shot this one between White Heat and D.O.A.) is always a treat to watch but he has less to do here. Virginia Mayo is the helpful nurse who helps MacRae to unfurl the plot whereas Viveca Lindfors is the (faux femme fatale) lounge singer who drives the plot mechanics. Ed Begley (Sr.) makes a solid police captain investigating the homicide of the gambler for which O'Brien is the principal suspect. You get the point: this is the usual man-trying-to-solve-crime-before-the-police plot with a variety of red herrings and generic settings and situations. So, in that regard, this is solid viewing - it just isn't the cream of the crop.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Audience Member

I didn't find it very interesting.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Vincent Sherman

Director

Virginia Mayo

Nurse Julie Benson

Gordon MacRae

Bob Corey

Edmond O'Brien

Steve Connolly

Viveca Lindfors

Lysa Radoff

Dane Clark

Ben Arno

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Synopsis

A World War II veteran (Gordon MacRae) and his nurse (Virginia Mayo) search for his buddy (Edmond O'Brien), a reformed hoodlum on the run.

Director: Vincent Sherman
Producer: Anthony Veiller
Screenwriter: Lawrence B. Marcus, Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 26, 1950, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 31m

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