The Postman Always Rings Twice (1962)

Frank and Cora decide that desire can justify removing the person in their way. Cain makes their later evasions feel like debts accruing interest: each apparent escape requires another compromise. The roadside setting and clipped voice keep the pressure close to the ground. Start here for a short, concentrated example of people mistaking an opportunity for a future. Its sexual coercion and violence belong to an ugly relationship, rather than a glamorous outlaw romance.