Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

ShangLuda Admirable film.

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

calvinnme ... and a fairly accurate depiction of how people in 1950 would have reacted to her. Too many people - then and now - believe in "the just world syndrome " in which they believe that a completely innocent person going about their business could never be victim of such a brutal crime, because if they did believe this was possible, then it could happen to them, and that is just too upsetting to people who think they have a good bead on the world and how it runs.It's interesting that director Ida Lupino tackled this difficult subject with as much reality as was possible with the production code in force, and that she also picked as the protagonist of the film a girl that looked very much like herself as a young woman - Mala Powers, only 19 when this film was made.The basic framework is that Mala's character, Ann Walton, is attacked by a complete stranger late at night in a small town while walking home from work. The whole town thus knows what happened to her, she is subject to staring and whispering, and then her boyfriend thinks the answer is to get married right away. But Ann feels dirty and doesn't want any man to touch her, and halfway thinks her beau is proposing - and wanting a quick wedding out of town - out of pity for her and to make an honest woman of her, but without the curiosity seekers that a big wedding might attract.A real telling scene is when she goes around her house, touching objects, as though she is a ghost of herself trying to remember what things were like before, and comes across a picture of herself at her first communion all decked out in white and smashes the picture, as though any purity in her died with the rape.She runs away from home - she is a grown woman so she is missing more than she is truant - and tries to pick up the pieces of her life, but still with the image of the man who attacked her haunting her. Big doses of Christianity are injected as to the cure to everything - after all this is 1950 - but I also objected to the implication of all of society's ills as being psychiatric in nature. The preacher at the end is basically saying that Ann is as mentally sick as the rapist! This was decades before society had to admit that some people are just evil and want what they want when they want it and we just need to throw away the key for the sake of the rest of us.No, I don't agree with every little thing Lupino said here, or maybe was forced to say due to the times, but it is worth watching and not that far off, at least from what victims go through in this kind of crime.

LeonLouisRicci The term "Rape" was unmentionable on the Screen in 1950. So here it is referred to as "Criminal Assault/Attack". If this seems silly and dated, just think of the 1980's when we had a President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, who refused to utter the word "Aids" as thousands were suffering and dying. So maybe we haven't matured that much after all.Maverick Female Film Star/Director Ida Lupino determined to break barriers and push for Women's Rights decided to approach the Taboo and deliver a Story of a previously unseen on the Screen Fear facing Females everywhere. She handled it quite well, considering, although there are some missteps and considerations given here that make this a noble, but flawed effort. The first half is the most uncompromising, with its expressionistic use of the Camera and a terrifying cat and mouse chase that ends with the aforementioned "assault".But after that the situations begin to become clichéd and comfortable ways to allow the Victim to come to grips with her Anxiety. The Hollywood Code would interfere greatly and there is one scene that is completely condescending to a Male Stereotype and Cultural Mythology as she is pawed and mashed, defends herself, and is arrested because the brute is "a nice guy". This doesn't seem to be presented as Irony, as His harsh advances are never questioned, and the Film has to be faulted for that misstep.Overall though it is and Icon of the era and is noted for its breakthrough of at least tackling the subject matter, but it probably played it just a bit too safe to be considered more than a somewhat tepid try at breaking the Paradigm.

drystyx Ida Lupino is a name that we know for one of the most stunning beauties ever to appear on screen.And the beauty is great.So is the actress.So is the director.This is a stage fare sort of film. A great film has to work on stage as well as screen. A great film has to inspire kids to make believe, although the subject matter here probably is over the heads of most kids.This is the story of a respectable young woman, a total beauty on the order of Ida herself, rich in values, who is sexually assaulted.What she goes through after-wards is well depicted. Not only does Ida show us what the world sees, but she shows us what the young lady sees.Throughout the film, we get textbook directing and more. Not only is it blocked like a professional stage director would block it, but it is given all the additives that film can give. To say more would be to spoil what will be a pleasant experience for the viewer.I call it "perfect directing", but you can't have a film this perfect without perfect writing and acting as well. This film excels on all levels.I am a stickler for credible characters in incredible circumstances. However, here, we have credible characters in credible circumstances, and we still watch with interest. It is a heart filled story that will leave the strong men in tears.And it is not dated. Still relevant today. A hidden gem.

moonspinner55 R.K.O. second-feature about a small town working girl, living with her folks and about to be married, who is the victim of a "criminal assault" (i.e., rape). After reporting her attack to the police, the girl and her parents attract stares and whispers from the curious locals. In a benumbed fog, the girl boards a bus for Los Angeles, getting off in a rural town and meeting a well-meaning pastor. Interesting film, co-written and directed by Hollywood pioneer Ida Lupino, has a tight pace but it isn't well cast. Newcomer Mala Powers spends most of her time staring wide-eyed into faces, running and looking back, running and looking back, while all the men are lookalike-bland, and seem awkward with their ineffectual characters. Not-bad programmer has amusing parallels to Carroll Baker's 1961 film "Something Wild", but there isn't much outrage in this scrubbed scenario--just a stunned quiet. **1/2 from ****