In the South to visit her sister (Doris Day), a model (Ginger Rogers) witnesses a murder by the Ku Klux Klan. Traumatized by the terror she has just seen, she's shaken to the core when she meets her sister's husband (Steve Cochran) and recognizes him as one of the Klan murderers. Directed by Stuart Heisler (THE GLASS KEY). A well intentioned attack on the Ku Klux Klan but it hedges its bet by eliminating all references to racism. Their victims aren't black, Jewish or foreigners but a white journalist who was going to expose them. That aside, it's still pretty gritty for its era and there's a solid dramatic performance by Rogers (more impressive than her Oscar winning KITTY FOYLE turn) as well as a strong performance by Doris Day in her first dramatic role. Whether intentional or not, the shadow of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE hovers over the proceedings with the triangle of Rogers, the brutish Cochran and Day. Not as potent as it should have been but compelling nonetheless. With Ronald Reagan, Hugh Sanders and Ned Glass.
No comments:
Post a Comment