Director Nicholas Ray maintains nice suspense. Bogart is excellent. Gloria Grahame, as his romance, also rates kudos.
– Variety Staff,
Variety,
23 Oct 2007
fresh:
It's a breathtaking work, and a key citation in the case for confession as suitable material for art.
– Dave Kehr,
Chicago Reader,
23 Oct 2007
fresh:
The grayest, most morally ambiguous of film noirs -- and arguably the most self-reflexive.
– J. Hoberman,
Village Voice,
15 Jul 2009
fresh:
The genre trappings of this noir masterpiece -- which details the short-lived relationship between live-wire screenwriter Dixon Steele (Bogart) and his goldilocked muse Laurel Gray (Grahame) -- don't matter a whit.
– Keith Uhlich,
Time Out New York,
15 Jul 2009
fresh:
Few movies suggest such a forthright flaying of their director's soul.