crossfire be one of those film from the forty that be cry for a remake and if for no other reason than maybe it time it should be do a originally write . the story on which the film be base be about the killing of a gay man . but anti semitism be certainly a hot topic in the day of post world war ii with the holocaust fresh in everyone mind . in the lee server biography of robert mitchum and edward dmytryk the director be interview and and bluntly say that the film could never have be make about a hate crime against gay at the time with the code firmly in place . it could have be though because the character of robert ryan be such an equal opportunity hater of everything that deviate from his societal norm . mitchum be tell in no uncertain term that he be in the film strictly for the ride . robert young be cast a the washington and dc police homicide captain who catch the case and while mitchum be second billed and he know from the begin the film would belong to ryan . but he be rko new star by dint of his performance in the story of gi joe and till the end of time so he be there for box office insurance . mitchum part be a a sergeant and friend of the original suspect in the case and george cooper . crossfire be not a whodunit and even though we do not see the crime it become clear that montgomery be the one who kill sam levene and the quintessential jewish salesperson . and it become clear to young and mitchum that ryan be the guilty party almost as fast a it do to the audience . it become just a question of get the evidence . ryan earn one of several academy award nomination the film garner and his best support actor category . though he lose to edmund gwenn and the film be ryan breakthrough role . similarly gloria grahame be nominate for a brief part a a party girl for best support actress and but she lose to celeste holm for gentleman agreement . in fact crossfire run up against gentleman agreement and lose for best picture and best director for dmytryk to elia kazan . it fifth nomination for best screenplay and crossfire come up short again with the winner be miracle on 34th street . gloria grahame also have her own problem on the set which spill over from her personal life . she be have big trouble with her then husband stanley clements who be an abusive husband . he be hang around the set cause ed dmytryk a lot of problem . fortunately grahame part be a small one . in fact the whole film be shoot in typical rko economy style in 20 day . robert young have a particularly fine scene with william phipps a young kid from tennessee in mitchum and ryan outfit who ryan constantly belittles . young be most eloquent in speak about the corrosive nature of hate and how it affect his family a irish catholic who come over in the potato famine year . it be one of robert young best moment on screen in his long career . a fine a film a crossfire be and it time to be remake a a story about an anti gay hate crime . especially with the real killing of barry winchell from the last decade and the debate about gay in the military . that a film who time have come and almost go .