Directed by Tay Garnett in 1946 and starring Lana Turner, John Garfield, and Cecil Kellaway, The Postman Always Rings Twice is a Crime Noir film that follows the hired handyman and the young wife of a diner owner who have an affair and plot the murder of her husband. Based on the novel written by James M. Cain, this psychological crime noir film was a landmark in American culture and is a fascinating depiction of sin, with an ending that does not glorify atrocities. The perfect crime is a common theme in the era, and although it may often seem as though someone is getting away with something, eventually, the price will be paid. 

When Frank Chambers is hired by a middle-aged diner owner with a beautiful, young, and dissatisfied wife named Cora, a passionate, forbidden attachment forms between the two, although murder was not initially on the table as an escape from their situation, it became more and more enticing, and yet, repeated failure to escape from their paths haunts them.

In the end, there is no true escape. We cannot cheat justice for long any more than we can cheat death, and yet, time after time, desperation to avoid fate leads people to commit atrocious acts and lies. This is the sort of film with not necessarily a happy ending, yet one we cannot really disagree with. This is one of my favorite crime noir films, and I highly recommend it.