"Conflict" has always been one of my favorite Bogey movies, even if it doesn't score highly with most viewers. Perhaps it's the chemistry between he and Sydney Greenstreet, who's character is a psychiatrist who specializes in the workings of the criminal mind. There's a great scene in which Professor Hamilton (Greenstreet) and Richard Mason (Bogart) exchange ideas on the "perfect crime", with all of the professor's insight focused on accurately describing Mason's uncertainty and attendant behavior following the murder of his wife. Hamilton describes Mason's conduct to a tee, leaving Mason speechless as he walks out the door.
There is really no mystery here, early on we know that Richard Mason faked the complications of an auto accident to set up a confrontation with Kathryn Mason (Rose Hobart) on a lonely mountain road. Astute viewers will catch the mistake that Mason makes to the police and Professor Hamilton, when describing his missing wife "the last time I saw her". If you don't catch it, you'll be aware of it during a repeat viewing and say to yourself, "how did I miss that?" The scene is deftly done, as Greenstreet's character doesn't give a hint of recognition at Mason's errant remark.
The remainder of the film relies on a considerable number of set ups intended to smoke out Mason. Granted, some of the circumstances require odds defying precision timing, and a highly unlikely alliance between the police and the professor. Maybe in simpler times, authorities might have been able to trap their victim as was done here, but I don't think it would work in a real life situation today. Nevertheless, as positioned in the film, each manufactured event is intended to make Mason believe that his wife may not be dead (even though he did kill her), or that he may slowly be losing his mind. Even random events conspire to trigger Mason's guilt - an engineering sketch by one of his partners, and a pile of logs rigged for a vacation lodge bonfire outwardly resemble the scene where Mason rigged his wife's unfortunate "accident".
Ultimately, many movies require some suspension of belief for their premise to work. "Conflict" is one of those movies where the characters, dialog and set ups meld together cohesively enough to offer an entertaining viewing if one can refrain from being too critical. On that basis, the film is well recommended.
There is really no mystery here, early on we know that Richard Mason faked the complications of an auto accident to set up a confrontation with Kathryn Mason (Rose Hobart) on a lonely mountain road. Astute viewers will catch the mistake that Mason makes to the police and Professor Hamilton, when describing his missing wife "the last time I saw her". If you don't catch it, you'll be aware of it during a repeat viewing and say to yourself, "how did I miss that?" The scene is deftly done, as Greenstreet's character doesn't give a hint of recognition at Mason's errant remark.
The remainder of the film relies on a considerable number of set ups intended to smoke out Mason. Granted, some of the circumstances require odds defying precision timing, and a highly unlikely alliance between the police and the professor. Maybe in simpler times, authorities might have been able to trap their victim as was done here, but I don't think it would work in a real life situation today. Nevertheless, as positioned in the film, each manufactured event is intended to make Mason believe that his wife may not be dead (even though he did kill her), or that he may slowly be losing his mind. Even random events conspire to trigger Mason's guilt - an engineering sketch by one of his partners, and a pile of logs rigged for a vacation lodge bonfire outwardly resemble the scene where Mason rigged his wife's unfortunate "accident".
Ultimately, many movies require some suspension of belief for their premise to work. "Conflict" is one of those movies where the characters, dialog and set ups meld together cohesively enough to offer an entertaining viewing if one can refrain from being too critical. On that basis, the film is well recommended.