ReelRecsWhat to watch
An Act of Murder poster

MOVIE · 1948

An Act of Murder

CrimeDrama91 min

A respected judge sees his orderly life collapse when his wife’s long illness leaves her in constant pain and him facing a choice he cannot square with the law he serves. After he takes matters into his own hands, what begins as a private act becomes a criminal case that threatens his reputation, his family, and everything he believes about justice. As suspicion closes in, the story follows the gap between legal duty and personal mercy, turning the courtroom into a reckoning with motive as much as guilt. Fredric March leads the judge’s descent from certainty into fear as the case forces his life into public view.

Find out what fits your taste.

Rate movies and shows in ReelRecs, save your next watch, and get personal recommendations from the Reel Recs online service. Free on iPhone and Android.

Get ReelRecs for iPhoneGet ReelRecs for Android

Open this title in ReelRecs

Where to watch in US

These offers have not all been recently verified. Check the provider for current availability.

Rent

Buy

Availability checked October 24, 2026. Offers can change. Rentals and purchases are separate from subscriptions.

More to consider

Take One False Step (1949)

Take One False Step is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Chester Erskine and starring William Powell, Shelley Winters and Marsha Hunt. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures.

The Argyle Secrets (1948)

The Argyle Secrets is a 1948 American film noir mystery thriller written and directed by Cy Endfield and starring William Gargan and Marjorie Lord. It was based on a half-hour radio play by Endfield, originally heard on…

Monsieur Beaucaire (1946)

At the court of King Louis XV, Bob Hope is Monsieur Beaucaire, a bumbling royal barber whose latest scrape leaves him facing the guillotine before a sudden escape drops him into palace intrigue. Rescued by Patric Knowle…

Catalogue checked October 30, 2026. Use ReelRecs with an assistant