NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Warner Archive Blu-ray (September 2025): Warner Archive have transferred Fred Zinnemann's Act of Violence to Blu-ray. This 1080P was sourced from the best available film elements, as the original negatives are not fully intact, yet the results are impressive with a pleasing, detailed black-and-white image that captures the film's noir essence. It is a notable step above Warner's 2007 DVD, reviewed HERE, as part of their Film Noir Classic Collection (5-discs/10 films), Vol. 4. This HD presentation offers strong grayscale with excellent shadow detail, bright whites, and deep, inky blacks that enhance the moody cinematography including high-contrast lighting and deep-focus night-for-night sequences at locations like deserted railway stations. Minor artifacts, such as slight flashing on patterned fabrics like a polka-dot dress or bus lines, are present but negligible, and the overall clarity highlights character details, such as Mary Astor's unglamorous makeup, making this a first-rate visual upgrade that respects the film's gritty realism and atmospheric depth. I was very pleased with the upgrade.

NOTE: We have added 74 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Warner Archive use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It provides a clear and robust sound that faithfully reproduces the original mix without any age-related distortions like hiss, pops, crackle, or flutter. Dialogue remains distinct and intelligible throughout, while Bronislau Kaper's (Johnny Eager, The Tall Target, Jet Pilot, Key to the City, The Wild North, Lord Jim, 1944's Gaslight, Mutiny on the Bounty, The Swan, Them!, The Naked Spur, Orson Welles' The Stranger,) score - featuring dissonant, neurotic chords - integrates seamlessly with ambient effects, including the ominous dragging of Joe Parkson's lame leg, a dripping faucet mimicking a racing heartbeat, heavy breathing during tense pursuits, swirling wind at the train station, and urban nocturnal noises that amplify the sense of desperation and isolation. The track handles crowd sounds, applause, and subtle environmental cues with professional balance, ensuring the film's psychological tension is aurally supported on the Warner Archive Blu-ray, and optional English SDH subtitles are included for accessibility. 

The extras package on this Warner Archive Blu-ray is solid and thoughtfully curated, starting with an archival audio commentary by film historian Dr. Drew Casper (Postwar Hollywood: 1946-1962,) who provides insightful background on the production, themes, and performances, drawing from his expertise as a USC professor. A short but engaging featurette, "Act of Violence: Dealing With the Devil", also found on the original DVD, features discussions from experts like Oliver Stone, Christopher Coppola, Alain Silver (From the Moment They Met It Was Murder: Double Indemnity and the Rise of Film Noir,) Richard Schickel (The Men Who Made the Movies,) and Glenn Erickson (Sci-Fi Savant) on the film's place in the noir genre and its exploration of postwar trauma. Vintage MGM cartoons in HD add fun bonuses; "Goggle Fishing Bear", a 1949 Technicolor short about Barney Bear's comedic fishing antics, and "The Shell-Shocked Egg", a 1948 Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Robert McKimson involving a turtle's hatching mishaps; the disc rounds out with the original theatrical trailer, offering a nostalgic glimpse at the film's promotion.

Fred Zinnemann's Act of Violence stands as a poignant exploration of the lingering scars of World War II on the human psyche. Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and released in early 1949, the film stars Van Heflin (Patterns, Grand Central Murder, Wings of the Hawk, Gunman's Walk, Shane, 3:10 to Yuma, Possessed, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers) as Frank Enley, a seemingly upstanding veteran turned successful contractor in suburban California, whose idyllic life unravels when confronted by his wartime past. Robert Ryan (The Set-up, Day of the Outlaw, Born to be Bad, Crossfire, Odds Against Tomorrow, On Dangerous Ground, Horizons West, Clash by Night, Berlin Express, Alaska Seas, The Wild Bunch,) delivers a chilling performance as Joe Parkson, Enley's former comrade, now a limping avenger driven by betrayal. Supporting roles include Janet Leigh (Psycho, Grand Slam, Night of the Lepus, The Naked Spur, Manchurian Candidate, Bye Bye Birdie, My Sister Eileen, Jet Pilot, Touch of Evil, Prince Valiant) as Enley's devoted wife Edith, Phyllis Thaxter (Women's Prison, Springfield Rifle, The Breaking Point, No Man of Her Own) as Parkson's girlfriend Ann, and Mary Astor (Desert Fury, Across the Pacific, The Maltese Falcon) as Pat, a jaded barfly who becomes entangled in the drama. Adapted from an unpublished story by Collier Young with a screenplay by Robert L. Richards (Gorgo, The Indian Fighter, Winchester '73,) shot in black-and-white by cinematographer Robert Surtees (The Liberation of L.B. Jones, The Satan Bug, The Collector, Mutiny on the Bounty, Cimarron, Ben-Hur,). Warner Archive's Blu-ray edition of "Act of Violence" is a highly recommended release for film noir enthusiasts, delivering a top-tier presentation of Fred Zinnemann's (The Nuns Story, The Search, High Noon, A Man For All Seasons, Behold a Pale Horse, The Day of the Jackal, The Men, From Here To Eternity) gripping postwar thriller with excellent video and audio quality that brings out the film's moral complexity, stellar performances and innovative take on PTSD themes. Certainly recommended. 

Gary Tooze