"He Ran All The Way" was John Garfield's last movie before his untimely death from a heart attack at the age of 39. This talented actor featured in a number of film noirs, most notably "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946) and "Body And Soul" (1947) and regularly impressed with the levels of intensity and authenticity that he brought to his roles.
Interestingly, this movie is now widely regarded as being the first of the "home invasion" dramas which would later include such notable offerings as "The Desperate Hours" (1955) and "Unlawful Entry" (1992). In these movies the victims are terrorised in their own homes by very dangerous men whereas in other examples such as "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" (1992) and "The Page Turner" (2006), the threat posed to the victims is initially far more subtle and comes from very calculating women.
"He Ran All The Way" is the story of Nick Robey (John Garfield), a jobless man from a dysfunctional family background who has a nightmare about being constantly on the run and shooting someone. His nightmare soon becomes a reality after his friend Al Molin (Norman Lloyd) persuades him to take part in a payroll robbery which goes wrong. As the two men are making their escape, Al is shot and Nick has to shoot a cop in order to make a clean getaway.
Nick tries to look inconspicuous by mingling with the crowds on the street and then goes into a public swimming pool where he accidentally bumps into Peg Dobbs (Shelley Winters), a young woman who's learning to swim. Following their awkward introduction to each other, Nick takes Peg home and she introduces him to her father, mother and younger brother who are going out to see a movie. When the family return home, Nick becomes very anxious and convinces himself that they must know who he is. He brandishes a gun and tells them that he's a fugitive who's wanted for shooting a policeman.
From this point on, Nick keeps at least one member of the family with him at all times so that the others can carry on their regular working routines to avoid raising any suspicions. This tense situation continues until action that Peg's father takes enables her to turn the tables on Nick.
John Garfield gives a powerful performance as the paranoid killer who doesn't trust anyone and is prone to panicking. His inability to relate to other people is profound and the combination of this quality and Peg's awkwardness and naivety makes their attempts to relate to each other painfully difficult. Shelley Winters' open-faced expressions and confused looks work well to make her character's gullibility seem utterly convincing and Wallace Ford provides the standout supporting performance as Peg's father.
Visually, this claustrophobic drama's atmosphere is emphasised very effectively by cinematographer James Wong Howe's use of high camera angles and heavily shadowed areas and the movie's poignant conclusion looks stunning and provides further evidence of his considerable skill.
A look at the names of the people involved in the making of this film highlights the impact which the work of the "House Un-American Activities Committee" had on the industry in the early 1950s. John Garfield was one of the most famous actors to be blacklisted as a result of refusing to "name names", director John Berry went to live in Paris for many years to avoid having to appear before the Committee and screenwriter Dalton Trumbo served a prison sentence for refusing to testify. Furthermore, the finger of suspicion was also pointed at another screenwriter, Hugo Butler and cinematographer James Wong Howe.
Interestingly, this movie is now widely regarded as being the first of the "home invasion" dramas which would later include such notable offerings as "The Desperate Hours" (1955) and "Unlawful Entry" (1992). In these movies the victims are terrorised in their own homes by very dangerous men whereas in other examples such as "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" (1992) and "The Page Turner" (2006), the threat posed to the victims is initially far more subtle and comes from very calculating women.
"He Ran All The Way" is the story of Nick Robey (John Garfield), a jobless man from a dysfunctional family background who has a nightmare about being constantly on the run and shooting someone. His nightmare soon becomes a reality after his friend Al Molin (Norman Lloyd) persuades him to take part in a payroll robbery which goes wrong. As the two men are making their escape, Al is shot and Nick has to shoot a cop in order to make a clean getaway.
Nick tries to look inconspicuous by mingling with the crowds on the street and then goes into a public swimming pool where he accidentally bumps into Peg Dobbs (Shelley Winters), a young woman who's learning to swim. Following their awkward introduction to each other, Nick takes Peg home and she introduces him to her father, mother and younger brother who are going out to see a movie. When the family return home, Nick becomes very anxious and convinces himself that they must know who he is. He brandishes a gun and tells them that he's a fugitive who's wanted for shooting a policeman.
From this point on, Nick keeps at least one member of the family with him at all times so that the others can carry on their regular working routines to avoid raising any suspicions. This tense situation continues until action that Peg's father takes enables her to turn the tables on Nick.
John Garfield gives a powerful performance as the paranoid killer who doesn't trust anyone and is prone to panicking. His inability to relate to other people is profound and the combination of this quality and Peg's awkwardness and naivety makes their attempts to relate to each other painfully difficult. Shelley Winters' open-faced expressions and confused looks work well to make her character's gullibility seem utterly convincing and Wallace Ford provides the standout supporting performance as Peg's father.
Visually, this claustrophobic drama's atmosphere is emphasised very effectively by cinematographer James Wong Howe's use of high camera angles and heavily shadowed areas and the movie's poignant conclusion looks stunning and provides further evidence of his considerable skill.
A look at the names of the people involved in the making of this film highlights the impact which the work of the "House Un-American Activities Committee" had on the industry in the early 1950s. John Garfield was one of the most famous actors to be blacklisted as a result of refusing to "name names", director John Berry went to live in Paris for many years to avoid having to appear before the Committee and screenwriter Dalton Trumbo served a prison sentence for refusing to testify. Furthermore, the finger of suspicion was also pointed at another screenwriter, Hugo Butler and cinematographer James Wong Howe.