Conflict is a love triangle with murder at its heart, an atmospheric film noir of rainy nights, looming shadows, fatal romance and a trench-coated killer that walks out of the mist – all directed by Curtis Bernhardt, a filmmaker skilled in the Expressionistic style of his native Germany. The story embraces the perfect noir topic: the almost-perfect crime. Humphrey Bogart portrays Richard Mason, married to nagging Katherine… but in love with her sunny sister. Shortly after a fifth-year wedding celebration at the home of a friend, Richard decides to remove the obstacle to his happiness. He kills Katherine, carefully leaving no evidence of his guilt. Or at least he thinks he killed her- until mysterious events cause Richard to fear Katherine is very much alive!

For thoughts on Conflict (1945), please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Conflict with a terrific 1080p transfer sourced from a new 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative. The moody black-and-white photography retains the perfect amount of natural film grain that resolves impeccably. The various settings from the house to the treacherous mountainside provide delicate textures and clarity throughout the narrative. Black levels are nice and deep with ideal stability throughout, and the contrast holds firm with nothing appearing overly bright. With the Original Camera Negative still intact, we have a consistent presentation that could scarcely look better. There are no lingering signs of wear and tear or dirt specks. Compression seems to be in top form with no artifacts spotted. Warner Archive has made fans very happy with this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that matches the video side of things. The restoration has eradicated nearly all instances of degradation to the track such as popping, hissing, and dropouts. This track allows every distinct element to excel with premium fidelity. Dialogue and background texture spring forth with natural accuracy along with a moody score. Exchanges always come through crisp and clear without being drowned out by other elements. The audio presentation is everything you want from the experience. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included in the feature film.

Special Features

Classic Cartoons

- Life With Feathers: The eight-minute Merrie Melodies animated short is provided here in HD which features a bird who cannot find a cat to eat him to end his life.

- Trap Happy Porky: The seven-minute Looney Tunes short is provided here in HD which finds Porky Pig losing some sleep due to some destructive mice.

Peeks at Hollywood: A nine-minute live-action short film in which some girls at an observatory peer down at Hollywood and its many colorful characters.

Are Animals Actors?: A 14-minute live-action short that takes a look at the four-legged on-screen talent in Hollywood.

Theater of Romance – 9/11/1945: A 25-minute radio program featuring Humphrey Bogart in a truncated adaptation of this story.

Original Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Conflict is a fine noir outing from the great Humphrey Bogart, who keeps his character watchable despite being a piece of trash. It is fun to watch bad men unravel, and this narrative delivers the proper intrigue and payoff. The direction is taut with very little fat left on the picture and no major shortcomings. There are some small annoyances here and there, but this works well within the genre. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray that features a 5-star A/V presentation and some valuable special features. If you are a fan of the genre or Bogart, you will cherish this release. Recommended

Conflict can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.