Simply brilliant, what a movie! I think
they should make viewing of Bad Day at Black Rock (+ maybe Zinnemann’s High Noon) mandatory for anyone
that wishes to join conservative party. No better way to show the greed, paranoia,
small town “I’m just a good neighbour minding my own business” mindlessness, emotional
blackmail/exploitation and essentially just simple hatred against not only the foreigners,
but basically against anyone different. It sounds like too many of the big themes
thrown into the plot, but it’s not as it is masterfully directed.
And the cast! It’s perfect blend of an older
Hollywood generation from 40s and newcomers. I like Spencer Tracy even in his comedies
with Hepburn but here he is truly superb. He just gets this right balance of
toughness, dedication, fear, even a bit of arrogance. I remember when I was
first watching it many years ago I was sure that he’s not really crippled and
that he was just fucking with those guys. But back to cast – name a movie where
you can see together Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Robert Ryan!? The Wild Bunch comes to my mind
which reminds me to put that Peckinpah’s masterpiece on my to-do list. Been to
long since I've last seen it.
My only tiny slight disappointment is the
ending. I think it would be even better and more efficient if Tracy would leave
the fucker burn to death. By making authorities handling the matter it suggests
that America was (is?) free and opened society that punishes such crimes and they are more of exception than a general state of mind.
And I don’t think this is the message that Mr. Sturges wanted to send to his
audience because we need to remind ourselves that this masterpiece was made while that McCarthy asshole was still haunting his imaginary red witches.
10/10
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