The Chase (1946 film)

The Chase is a 1946 American film noir directed by Arthur Ripley, starring Robert Cummings, Michèle Morgan, Peter Lorre, and Steve Cochran. The screenplay was written by Philip Yordan, based on Cornell Woolrich's 1944 novel The Black Path of Fear.

The film tells the story of Chuck Scott (Robert Cummings), a World War II veteran suffering from nightmares and struggling to find employment. He finds a wallet containing a large sum of money and returns it to its owner, Eddie Roman (Steve Cochran), a ruthless and paranoid gangster. Impressed by Chuck's honesty, Eddie hires him as his chauffeur.

Chuck soon becomes entangled in Eddie's dangerous world and captivated by Eddie's wife, Loraine (Michèle Morgan), who is trying to escape her abusive husband. He agrees to help her run away to Havana, Cuba. However, things are not as they seem, and Chuck finds himself caught in a web of deceit, murder, and mistaken identity. Peter Lorre plays Gino, Eddie Roman's loyal and menacing bodyguard, adding to the film's suspenseful atmosphere.

The Chase is notable for its dreamlike and surreal qualities, particularly in its second half, which features flashbacks, hallucinations, and shifting realities. These elements contribute to the film's overall sense of paranoia and unease, characteristic of the film noir genre. The film explores themes of guilt, identity, and the futility of escape. Its ending is ambiguous and open to interpretation.