Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Force of Evil Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 19, 2023

Abraham Polonsky's "Force of Evil" (1948) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include archival video introduction by Martin Scorsese; new audio commentary by critic Imogen Sara Smith; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

A lot of people, including Martin Scorsese, consider Abraham Polonsky’s directorial debut, Force of Evil, a great film noir and a genuine American classic. But if you begin comparing Force of Evil to the twenty or thirty all-time greatest film noirs, you will inevitably conclude that it is not a big and flawless film. Scorsese partially agrees. In an archival program that is included on this release, Scorsese admits that Force of Evil is a small B-film and then highlights a few of its strengths and declares that it is an American classic. So, what exactly transforms Force of Evil into an American classic?

You are not going to find a definitive answer endorsed by everyone that likes Force of Evil as much as Scorsese does. Force of Evil connects with people in different ways because parts of its supposedly transparent drama are quite deceiving. I will explain how, but before I do, here is a summation of the events that are chronicled in it:

In New York, crooked lawyer Joe Morse (John Garfield) makes ends meet while working hard for Ben Tucker (Roy Roberts), the biggest racketeer in the city. Business is good but Tucker asks Morse to help him set up an ambitious scam that would eliminate their competitors and take over the small policy banks they are working with. For the scam to work as intended, Morse will have to bring down his older, sick brother, Leo (Thomas Gomez), who runs his own racket and cannot stand Tucker. Realizing that there is no scenario in which his brother can continue to operate as he has in the past, Morse contacts him and attempts to convince him to either join Tucker or cash out but faces fierce resistance. While the drama is underway, Morse then discovers that an ambitious prosecutor investigating the racketeering business has had his phone tapped for months.

Garfield narrates with words that are supposed to reveal a lot about his character. But as Force of Evil progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to properly judge his decisions and actions as well as the nature of the drama. For example, initially, it appears that his desire to help his brother is not entirely sincere, and it makes sense because he is a compromised man with a lot of dangerous secrets. But his brother and all the new characters that emerge in his orbit are quickly made to appear like him -- they are either directly involved in the racket business and benefit from it or aware of its existence and unwilling to alert the authorities and work with them to end it. In other words, Force of Evil does not have any conventional good characters. (Garfield meets a young girl working for his brother that shows potential to be a good character, but as she becomes more comfortable with him it becomes obvious that her philosophy of life dictates that she behaves like a beautiful sunflower). With all these characters exposed, and as the scam is about to be initiated, Garfield’s intense efforts to protect his brother begin to look more and more sincere. So, what is the message that is channeled through the drama?

My old take on Force of Evil was that it is about compromised characters playing a game that usually ends badly. The game is always educational for those that survive it, so I used to think that like the overwhelming majority of film noirs Force of Evil emphasized a predictable lesson, too. But I have changed my mind. My new take on Force of Evil is that it is a refreshingly cynical film that emphasizes something different. Are Garfield and his brother criminals that deserve everything that is coming their way? Yes. But they are not evil. There is good in them and as their lives begin to crumble it is slowly exposed.

Force of Evil has been fully restored in 4K by UCLA Film & Television Archive and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by The Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation. Restoration work was carried out at Roundabout Entertainment and Audio Mechanics.

Force of Evil Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Force of Evil arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

Force of Evil made its high-defnition debut with this release from Olive Films in 2012. It is the only other release of the film that I have in my library. Kino Lorber's release introduces a brand new 4K restoration of Force of Evil that was completed by UCLA Film & Television Archive and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by The Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation. Restoration work was carried out at Roundabout Entertainment and Audio Mechanics.

The 4K restoration looked very good on my system. I did numerous comparisons with the previous release and in quite a few areas now the visuals have a much more attractive organic appearance. However, work has been done to rebalance density fluctuations which is why the entire film has a light velvety look. I like it but there are some darker areas where very fine nuances are not as nicely exposed as ideally they should be. Also, in some areas blacks become too thick and begin to crush. Nevertheless, delineation, clarity, and depth range from good to very good. The grayscale is convincing. Many of the highlights that were uneven on the previous presentation now look terrific. Image stability is excellent. The entire film looks immaculate as well. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Force of Evil Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The restored audio track is outstanding. On the previous release, a few areas had very light hiss sneaking in from time to time, plus some noticeable unevenness. On the restored track, I did not notice any hiss or unevenness. I thought that clarity, sharpness, and stability were as good as they could be. I was quite impressed.

Force of Evil Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction - this archival introduction was filmed by Martin Scorsese. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Imogen Sara Smith.

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Force of Evil. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Cover - a reversible cover with vintage poster art for Force of Evil.

Force of Evil Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

What separates bad men from evil men? The former can have some good in them, the latter are despicable, irredeemable human beings. Also, not all bad men become such by choice. Some have to be if they wish to be successful in life. It is sad that it is so, but it has been this way for a long, long time. Abraham Polonsky's directorial debut, Force of Evil, is a cynical but very effective reminder of these old facts of life. Kino Lorber's release introduces a good new 4K restoration of Force of Evil that was completed by UCLA Film & Television Archive and The Film Foundation. If you reside on the other side of the Atlantic and wish to pick it up for your collection, please keep in mind that it is Region-A "locked". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.