fans who will guzzle this sombre tale of ill-starred romance. The marquee duo of Joan Fontaine and Burt Lancaster also furnishes a substantial back-stop to the wickets. The yarn concerns an uprooted vet of World War II whose life is shattered after he accidentally kills a man in a London pub. Although based on a formula plot, this film is lifted out of the run-of-the-mill class by Norman Foster's superior direction, first-rate thesping and well-integrated production mountings. Extra impact is lent to a middling screenplay by Foster's firm control over the film's pace and his achievement of a unified atmospheric quality. Excellent deep shadow camera work and minor key score by Miklos Rozsa add to the film's consistency. The story opens explosively in a furious chase sequence with Lancaster, as the vet, making his getaway from the bobbies after a fatal brawl in a saloon. During his flight he crosses paths with Joan Fontaine, a hospital worker, and with credible plot development, they fall for each other. Lancaster then tries to go straight but is stopped by Robert Newton, a black marketeer who forces him into a hijacking deal under threats of exposing Lancaster to the police. Latter portion of the film dips into sensationalism with Miss Fontaine stabbing Newton in her apartment while he's making a pass at her. Newton's death is coupled with a powerful cinematic image of goldfish, spilled from a broken aquarium, flapping around the corpse. This is an imaginative touch of horror which gives vividness to a conventional windup which hews closely to the production code. Miss Fontaine and Lancaster make a dash for an outbound ship but finally decide to surrender to the cops. Lancaster delivers a convincing and sympathetic portrayal of a tough hombre who can't beat the bad breaks. Miss Fontaine performs with sensitivity and sincerity in a demanding role. As the heavy, Newton is properly oily and detestable. Rest of the cast only have bit parts which are handled competently". Motion Picture Daily wrote on October 21, 1948: In its initial offering, the new Harold Hecht-Norma production unit makes a notable bow. For behind the attention-seizing title of "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands" there rests an absorbing melodrama that appears to be headed for a good box-office. Joan Fontaine and Burt Lancaster head the cast of this tale of a series of baleful events that beset a young couple. Taken