Crossfire is a 1947 American film noir drama film starring Robert Young, Robert Mitchum and Robert Ryan which deals with the theme of anti-Semitism, as did that year's Academy Award for Best Picture winner, Gentleman's Agreement. The film was directed by Edward Dmytryk and the screenplay was written by John Paxton, based on the 1945 novel The Brick Foxhole by screenwriter and director Richard Brooks. The film's supporting cast features Gloria Grahame and Sam Levene. The picture received five Oscar nominations, including Ryan for Best Supporting Actor and Gloria Grahame for Best Supporting Actress. It was the first B movie to receive a Best Picture nomination.
Plot
In the opening scene, a man is seen beating a Jewish man named Joseph Samuels to death in a hotel room. After the police are called in to investigate his murder, officer Capt. Finlay suspects that the murderer may be among a group of demobilized soldiers who had been with Samuels and his female companion at a hotel bar the night of his death.
Private "Monty" Montgomery, explains his version of the story to investigator Finlay. He claims that he and his friend Floyd Bowers met Samuels at the hotel bar and went up to his apartment to find Samuels talking to Cpl. "Mitch" Mitchell. Soon upon their arrival, Mitch sick from heavy drinking, leaves Samuel's apartment alone, then Monty and Floyd leave a minute or so later. According to Monty's story, that was the last time they saw Samuels alive.
Sergeant Keeley, concerned that Mitch may be the prime suspect, investigates the murder himself, hoping to clear his friend's name. After helping Mitch escape from police capture, Keeley meets him in a movie theater, where Mitch tells his version of the story. Although he was drunk, Mitch remembered Monty arguing with Samuels inside his apartment. After Mitch left, he spent the rest of the night with Ginny Tremaine, a working girl he met in a dancehall. When he wakes up the next morning in her apartment, Ginny was not there, but after hearing a knock at the door, he meets Ginny's husband Mr. Tremaine, who offers to make him coffee. While Mr. Tremaine looks for some cigarettes, Mitch hastily leaves the apartment.
Meanwhile, Monty and Floyd meet in an apartment. Monty tells Floyd to stay out of sight and to keep their stories straight, that they had no argument with Samuels and left his apartment shortly after Mitch. Keeley knocks on their door and talks briefly with Floyd about the killing while Monty hides. After Keeley leaves, Monty – revealed to be the killer – berates Floyd for refusing to stay out of sight, beats and kills him.
Escorted by officer Finlay, Mitch's wife Mary visits Ginny at her apartment, and in an attempt to discover an alibi for her husband, asks Finlay to wait outside, as a cop might make Ginny clam up. If Ginny admits spending the night with Mitch, it will prove he didn't kill Samuels. Ginny claims to have no knowledge of meeting Mitch, then Finlay enters the apartment to question her. Ginny recants, admits to knowing Mitch, but never met him at her apartment. Then Ginny's husband appears from a back room, and tells Finlay that he remembers Mitch, thus providing an alibi.
Back at the police station, Finlay questions Monty a second time, hoping to uncover the motive for Samuels' murder, but sends him on his way. With Keeley in his office, Finlay suspects that antisemitism was the likely motive for Samuels' murder, because no person involved really knew Samuels personally. Both suspect that Monty was responsible for killing both Samuels and Floyd since he's clearly anti-Semitic. With the help of a soldier named Leroy, they set up a trap to catch him. Leroy tells Monty that Floyd wants to meet him and hands him an address where he can find Floyd. Monty shows up to the apartment where he killed Floyd, presumably to check if he's still alive, and encounters Finlay and another cop. Finlay tells Monty he gave himself away as the address on the piece of paper was actually to a different building. Monty tries to escape, but is shot dead by Finlay.
After Monty is killed, Finlay and Keeley say their goodbyes. As Finlay drives away, Keeley looks to Leroy and replies, "Well, how about a cup of coffee, soldier?"