Act of Violence

Act of Violence is a 1948 American film noir directed by Fred Zinnemann and adapted for the screen by Robert L. Richards from a story by Collier Young, featuring performances by Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, and Janet Leigh.

Franks young wife Edith Janet Leigh is completely in the dark about his transgressions, while Joes girlfriend knows everything about her man, but cannot dissuade him from his passion to set past wrongs right by seeing Frank dead. Frank must confront his dark past and the truth that he is a coward, not a hero.Doggedly pursued by Joe, who has traveled crosscountry to stalk Franks family repeatedly at their house, Frank goes into hiding, leaving his confused wife behind. While away at a trade convention in Los Angeles, Frank enlists the aid of a pastherprime prostitute, Pat Mary Astor, who introduces him to a shady lawyer and a hitman, Johnny Berry Kroeger. Frank lures Joe into meeting him at night outside the lonely Santa Lisa train station, where the hitman plans to drive up and kill Joe, the gunshot muffled by the noise of the train. Frank regrets the deal he has struck and tries to warn Joe at the station. Johnny is already waiting in his car with a gun, but before he can complete the job Frank jumps in front of the shot. Though wounded by the gunshot Frank manages to grab Johnny as he speeds off in his car, causing it to crash into a lamppost. Both Johnny and Frank are killed in the crash. Joe realizing what Frank has done, kneels by his old captain and tells the officers that he will be the one to tell Franks wife. ........

Source: Wikipedia