Susan: You murdered my husband. You would have killed the doctor.

Webb: So what? I’m no good. But I’m no worse than anybody else.

The above is a classic noir conversation between Evelyn Keyes and Van Heflin in Joseph Losey’s 1951 crime thriller The Prowler. One of director Losey’s last American films before he fled to Great Britain to escape harassment by the House Un-American Activities Committee regarding Communist infiltration of the American motion picture industry, The Prowler is an impressive adult film noir about sordid people caught in sordid events. It is especially about a cop, Webb Garwood (Van Heflin), who murders the husband of lonely Susan Gilvray (Evelyn Keyes) in order to steal her money and her love. Susan is married to John Gilvray, a rich, middle-aged disc jockey (played by Sherry Hall). One evening, she calls the police because she thinks she has seen a prowler at the bathroom window of her home. Webb Garwood arrives on the scene and puts Susan at ease, recognizing her loneliness and her desirability. To obtain Susan and her money, Webb plots to “accidentally” shoot her husband, believing she will promptly marry him.

Webb cuts a hole in the screen door, to make the couple believe the prowler has returned. The Gilvrays call the police, and Webb arrives on the scene to investigate. He manages to get John Gilvray out of the house by making noise out back, shoots him, and makes it look accidental, even

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