The Sniper (1952)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

The Sniper (1952) – E. Dmytryk

An edgy serial killer film that creates a lot of suspense, as the police (led by Adolphe Menjou) follow clues to track down the sniper, but which also seeks to generate some empathy toward the killer himself, making a plea for using treatment rather than punishment for youths committing acts of violence.  Although this is a Stanley Kramer production (and his films had a tendency to be heavy-handed and preachy), the message is conveyed only in a couple of speeches by the police psychiatrist and the rest of the film focuses primarily on the actions of the killer and those of the police.  This is the first film by director Edward Dmytryk after returning from being blacklisted (he was one of the Hollywood Ten who refused to name names to the House Un-American Activities Committee) and he keeps things taut.  Arthur Franz is excellent as the sniper who wants badly to control himself but cannot; fortunately, the psychological underpinnings of his condition (he experiences strong anger toward women) are not laid out, allowing us to maintain our suspension of disbelief.  Whether he can or cannot be cured and whether people like him can or cannot be identified and treated early are points that the film can only speculate about, taking care to present different viewpoints.  As brutal and upsetting though this noir may be, its heart is in the right place.