What if...

Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)

This is usually categorised as the first of many movies which were shot in a particular techniques involving a lot of shadows, narrating stories which are dark with a low budget production copying German and French cinematography. In hindsight, it was called 'film noir' and boasts of many groundbreaking new cinematography then. RKO Radio Pictures has the bragging rights of producing many such films.

The irony of this movie is that the main actor associated it only speaks in the last 10 minutes of the show! It is Peter Lorre, the guy who gained international recognition through Fritz Lang's 1931 movie 'M'. He, like the many Jews who were victims of witch hunt of the Nazi regime in the late 30s migrated lock, stock and barrel to flourish Hollywood's Tinseltown.
Reporter Michael Ward has his future all set. He has a lovely girl, Jane, who is all excited that he has a promotion and is a star witness in a murder trial. He cannot wait to tie the knot once all this is over.
At the trial, Michael becomes the key and only witness that can potentially send a man to the electric chair. The mostly lethargic judge and bored jury are convinced as the accused has a history of delinquency as a child and was seen at the scene of the crime. It all sounds eerily too easy. Both Michael and Jane (especially) start to have their doubts about the turn of events as the accused vehemently denies the charges. It soon strains their relationship. Pretty soon, Michael has doubts on his own testimony.

Peter Lorre

Back in his dingy apartment, he sees a suspicious character (Peter Lorre) leaving his neighbour, Albert Meng's apartment. Now, this Meng character is an annoying character who admonishes Michael for making too much noise on his typewriter, for bringing Jane to the apartment and even comments on his choice of consumption of beverage. In between sleep, dream and wakefulness, Michael finds Meng to have been murdered. The pattern of murder is just like the murder case he was testifying earlier. Suddenly, it is clear to him. The stranger must be the killer of both murders!
Michael find himself being the suspect due to circumstantial evidence and goes under custody as he had been seen threatening Meng during their arguments.
This 1 hour drama ends with Jane finally tracking down the stranger and saving the day.
I think that is what everybody in the modern world is fear of. Even if we have the most creative ways of punishing the wrong-doers, man as fallible as we can be, we may inadvertently pass a death sentence on an innocent victim. Is that the justice we are looking for? It is no more justice but more of revenge on loss lives/property/ dignity/etcetera or a witch hunt to put the fear of God (pun not intended) in refraining people from committing crimes, Sadly, punitive actions have never been shown to deter any form of crime.