edward dmytryk direct this shadowy movie about a murder investigation involve demobilized military personnel . robert young get to lecture u about hatred and robert mitchum walk through most of this picture and and gloria grahame revisit the feistiness she exhibit in it a wonderful life . it robert ryan who get at the heart of the matter represent anti semiticism . he go so deep into his role a monty montgomery ( imagine parent name lawrence call their son larry . ) and that the drama sit squarely on his shoulder and and he be more than up to the challenge . without him and the movie would be commonplace . ryan have play a number of memorable villain in his day ( bad day at black rock while billy budd ) and but this performance put him on the map . with sam levene a the murder victim .