Impact

Released Mar 19, 1949

1 hr. 51 min.

Crime

Drama

List

67%

6 Reviews

Tomatometer

58%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

A declared-dead man (Brian Donlevy) hides out with a widow (Ella Raines) after his wife and her lover botch his murder.

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Dallas H

This movie hits some of the usual bullet points for a film noir movie. However, it doesn't carry the same weight as the more well-known movies of the genre. I like this movie as a middle-of-the-road movie. It helped me pass the time on a rainy afternoon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

Jeff M

Very good, lesser known noir. The tension eases a little too much in the second half but it's worth seeing.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/10/23

Full Review

Deke P

1949, good crime movie with a twist. Ana Mae WONG as a Chinese launderer, key part. She's on new U.S. QUARTERS now, as an early Chinese American since the silent films. Never heard o til on tv 2.23.23

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Murty C

The plot is actually not bad - featuring the murder of a husband (Brian Donlevy) who inconveniently does not die - but the production design/ screenplay of the subsequent events is so childish that the whole thing is extra unreal. For example, he gets a job as an auto mechanic in a gas station owned by a pretty young widow (Ella Raines), who gamely tries to repair cars while exquisitely made up complete with lipstick. And, to boot, she offers him the job complete with bed and board. It is so extraordinarily squeaky clean that you could conduct surgery on the village green. The one interesting aspect I found was how the hero' survival was interpreted as an evidence of guilt. I wasted two hours on this stupid movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/12/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Gripping story with surprises and twists supported by a good cast including Charles Coburn. Brian Donlevy was convincingly good in the main role. Excellent female support from Ella Raines and Helen Walker.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Elements are there for a fabulous film noir, but the casting of Donlevy is a failure and the direction by Lubin is unfortunate.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

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Arthur Lubin

Director

Brian Donlevy

Walter Williams

Ella Raines

Marsha Peters

Charles Coburn

Lt. Quincy

Helen Walker

Irene Williams

Anna May Wong

Su Lin

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Bosley Crowther

New York Times

The melodramatics in this picture are tediously uninspired. Since definitions are in order, let's label Impact a dull thud.

Jul 29, 2019

Full Review

Elsa Branden

Photoplay

Deceit is the keynote of an entertaining triangle tale with homicidal overtones.

Rated: 1/3

Aug 20, 2021

Full Review

Josephine O'Neill

Daily Telegraph (Australia)

If Impact were a library book, I'd classify it as something for a wet weekend.

Jul 29, 2019

Full Review

Tony Sloman

Radio Times

It's a clever B-movie that doesn't quite make it as an A-feature, but has a good deal more class and style than most of its kind.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 14, 2019

Full Review

Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Ordinary film never excels.

Nov 28, 2015

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

If in the hands of a more exciting director this could have been top-grade film noir.

Rated: B

Apr 2, 2014

Full Review

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Synopsis

A declared-dead man (Brian Donlevy) hides out with a widow (Ella Raines) after his wife and her lover botch his murder.

Director: Arthur Lubin
Production Co: Cardinal Pictures
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 19, 1949, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 11, 2016

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