Pitfall (1948)

In the sun-drenched city of Los Angeles, John Forbes is a devoted family man living a life of suburban monotony with his wife Sue and their young son Tommy. Employed as an insurance adjuster, Forbes finds his job and daily routine increasingly uninspiring. His life takes an unexpected twist when he crosses paths with the captivating Mona Stevens, the girlfriend of embezzler Bill Smiley who has been arrested for his crimes. Forbes' company is tasked to recover the money embezzled by Smiley and he hires J.B. MacDonald, a freelancing private investigator, to trace the misappropriated funds. MacDonald uncovers that Smiley has squandered the stolen money on lavish gifts for Mona, and he himself becomes entranced by her allure. Forbes, tasked to retrieve the ill-gotten luxuries, visits Mona's apartment and finds himself irresistibly drawn to her. A clandestine affair blossoms between them, with Forbes concealing his marital status from Mona. Meanwhile, MacDonald's unrequited attempts to seduce Mona have only fueled his jealousy towards Forbes. As Smiley's release date approaches, MacDonald hatches a devious plan to manipulate the situation in his favor. He reveals Forbes' betrayal to the soon-to-be-released Smiley, intoxicates him, and arms him with a gun, discreetly guiding him to confront Forbes at his own home. "Pitfall" is a tale of a mundane life spiralling into a vortex of passion, deceit, and rivalry, where every character is entangled in a web of their own making. It's a world where the boundaries between right and wrong blur and the stakes are raised with every heartbeat. The question remains: how far will these individuals go to pursue their desires, and at what cost?

Pitfall is a crime movie featuring Dick Powell and directed by André de Toth.

Pitfall is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Plex and Plex Player and it's also available on DIRECTV and The Film Detective.

It is also possible to buy Pitfall on Amazon Video.