Outrage (1950)

A young woman (Mala Powers) lives in a small town with her family and is recently engaged. One night while working late, she is raped but can't remember her attacker except for the scar on his neck. Co-written and directed by Ida Lupino (THE BIGAMIST). While the subject of rape had been used in movies before (JOHNNY BELINDA, STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE), this was the first time that rape was the focus of the film although the word is never used, it's referred to as a criminal assault. It's fitting that the movie is directed by a woman, which brings some needed sensitivity to the subject. The rape victim is treated as a freak by the townspeople and the trauma of the attack causes the victim to flee the small town for Los Angeles but leaves her bus before she reaches there. It's a crude (in its execution, not in its sensitivity) film in many ways but Lupino explores the victim's emotional breakdown with understanding. Today, we're more enlightened to the trauma suffered by rape victims but there were no rape counselors or rape victims organizations or sensitivity training for police in 1950. My only complaint (and it's a minor one) is the slight religious bent of the movie personified by the minister played by Tod Andrews. With Robert Clarke, Hal March and Jerry Paris.