"Potent Mix of Class Anxiety and Carnal Violence"

"What's missing in the film, though, are the fears and complications surrounding race from Cain's novel: Nick Papadakis, known as 'the Greek,' becomes Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway). Cain's Cora is a dark brunet who worries people will think she's Mexican. Turner, of course, plays her the only way she could, as a blond bombshell, a black widow in white shorts."

Dennis Lim in the Los Angeles Times traces the cinematic legacy of James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice.

And Steve Erickson in Salon praises Cain's novel.