The Biddle brothers, shot while robbing a gas station, are taken to the prison ward of the County Hospital; Ray Biddle, a rabid racist, wants no treatment from black resident Dr. Luther Brooks. When brother John dies while Luther tries to save him, Ray is certain it's murder and becomes obsessed with vengeance. But there are black racists around too, and the situation slides rapidly toward violence.Written by
Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
The Deputy asks Dr. Brooks if he's going to need any instruments. His reply; "you keep them locked up". The deputy's answer is "this ain't no maternity ward doc". Implying they can be used by any criminal as weapon against the staff.
But they are not locked in a secure cabinet in a nondescript room. They're locked in cases with glass doors that line the hallway of the ward. Easily smashed, access to instruments that could be used as weapons. See more »
Quotes
Dr. Dan Wharton:
My point is you got out.
Edie Johnson:
Five blocks away.
Dr. Dan Wharton:
Five million blocks, what's the difference? You hate Beaver Canal; you hate what it stands for.
Edie Johnson:
You talk like I was a poet or a professor. I found open a manhole and I crawled out of a sewer, wouldn't anybody?
Dr. Dan Wharton:
Ray Biddle wouldn't. He likes Beaver Canal; he likes what it stands for.
Edie Johnson:
I don't even know what that means: "stands for"? There's no difference in people except the size of their tips. A drunk is a drunk and a pass is a pass if it comes from a ...
See more »
Crazy Credits
The 20th Century Fox logo appears without its familiar fanfare. Instead, the film's music theme begins when the logo is displayed. See more »
I saw this on AMC a couple of years ago, and it knocked me over. Hey, there's a race riot scene, pretty realistic, and this is from 1950! Fabulous acting, great script, pulls you in like "On the Waterfront" does. It's hard to believe that the writer/director, Joseph Mankiewicz, was the same guy who made "Cleopatra". This one is worth seeking out.
23 of 29 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
I saw this on AMC a couple of years ago, and it knocked me over. Hey, there's a race riot scene, pretty realistic, and this is from 1950! Fabulous acting, great script, pulls you in like "On the Waterfront" does. It's hard to believe that the writer/director, Joseph Mankiewicz, was the same guy who made "Cleopatra". This one is worth seeking out.