Protraph Lack of good storyline.
Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.
ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.
Scotty Burke It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review
elvircorhodzic BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK is a mysterious thriller that glorifies human courage and perseverance.The hero of this film is a one-armed war veteran who comes into a desert town in the southwest of the United States. He begins to inquire about a person of Japanese origin, which causes outright hostility by one group of citizens. Citizens are hiding a secret that will threaten the life of the main protagonist....This is an incredibly tense thriller that at times turns into a vague psychological drama. Arrival of a stranger terribly upset the citizens of a ghostly town. A war hero found himself in the middle of a gang of arrogant killers. A nonchalantly stepped and a constant game between the search for truth and motives for the murder have done some damage to the film. I am not sure whether the main protagonist wants, to save his own skin, or bravely persevere in the fight for justice. The final showdown is somewhat forced and unimaginative. The tension is constant, but changes in the dynamics are almost non-existent.Scenery is a fascinating and perfectly fits into the noir atmosphere. It warns with a hellish heat and a sense of hostility.Spencer Tracy as John J. Macreedy is tough, courageous and persistent. I've brought a conclusion on the basis of his moral obligation, which he carries in a bag. Yes, he is quite skilled in fighting. Robert Ryan as Reno Smith is the main villain and a big shot in a small town. However, the characterization is pretty bad.Ernest Borgnine (Coley) as a potbellied bully and Lee Marvin (Hector) as impatient psychopath are quite solid in the roles of villains-helpers. Walter Brennan as Doc Velie is a vivid character in the film. The local mortician with crumbs of reason and courage.Throughout the film permeates certain social message, which is not particularly strong. This is one rough „carved" thriller that, given the duration of the film, can be quite exciting.
Scott LeBrun Screen legend Spencer Tracy plays one-armed war veteran John J. Macreedy in this excellent film, one of director John Sturges' best. Adapted by Don McGuire from the story by Howard Breslin, and scripted by Millard Kaufman, it shows what happens as the grimly determined but low key Macreedy arrives in a tiny desert community called Black Rock a few months after WWII has ended. The locals all have a big ugly secret to hide, and are set on showing Macreedy how inhospitable they can be. Particularly odious is Reno Smith (Robert Ryan), who gets by with a little help from thugs such as Coley Trimble (Ernest Borgnine) and Hector David (Lee Marvin).Sturges gets maximum impact from the isolated location, a place that has very few resources to offer our hero. Extremely well shot in Cinema Scope by William C. Mellor, it generates some agreeable suspense, especially in the last act of the picture when Macreedy is most actively menaced by Smith and gang. One might argue that Smith overplays his hand too soon into the story, but it just goes to show how deep his hatred lies. But Macreedy is a basically good man who won't let these creeps scare him off. The whole plot / back story is refreshingly uncomplicated and easy to follow.The superior acting ensemble is almost universally male, and even Liz, played by the lovely Anne Francis, is rather tomboyish. The only true weak link is John Ericson as Liz's brother Pete; this guy looks like he couldn't change his facial expression if his life depended on it. But Tracy is a fun hero, especially when Macreedy is able to manhandle Coley without the use of two arms. There are standout moments from such character players as Walter Brennan, as the town doctor who implores his fellow citizens to do the right thing, and Dean Jagger, as the pathetic yet not entirely unsympathetic local sheriff.Very fine entertainment, starting with its energetic opening credits sequence, that runs a tidy 82 minutes, with no filler to bloat its length.Eight out of 10.
msmith-87318 This movie is a thrill ride from start to finish, full of suspense and drama. The film feels like a traditional western but its actually set in WW2 Arizona. I think it would be fare to compare this film with High Noon another classic western. However in High Noon where McCreedy (played by Spencer Tracy) faces sociopathic bullies and the locals won't help him, Bad Day at Black Rock deals with racism against Japanese Americans. I must say John Sturges does an excellent job in creating this film and the screen play works in such a way you don't think somebody is preaching at you. Spencer Tracy does a really good job playing the part of a 1 armed inquisitor. Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine, and Lee Marvin all play excellent ing parts. Good colour and really good use of widescreen. Well worth watching. Fantastic.
FilmCriticLalitRao American film 'Bad Day at Black Rock' begins with an express train running through Mojave desert in California.It makes an unscheduled stop at a small town which has not seen any train stop there for the last four years.This brief yet interesting description is enough to guarantee ample thrills to viewers.However,director John Sturges and his leading man Spencer Tracy contribute a lot to ensure that their film also discusses some issues of supreme importance especially the hypocrisy of small town people who would do anything to let some secrets remain buried in the ground.This is plenty of action in the film with imaginative use of hands and mouths.Apart from some good performances by Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine, it is actor Spencer Tracy who completely dominates the film.It is said that a leading man doesn't lose cool easily.However, no hero would keep quiet when unjustly provoked.It is precisely for this reason that he emerges as a true hero despite having a severe physical handicap.
