Bad Day at Black Rock

Bad Day at Black Rock. 1954 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Anne Francis, Dean Jagger, Walter Brennan, John Ericson, Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin
Director: John Sturges
Available from Amazon as a single disc, or as part of the Controversal Classics box set.

In 1945, a handicapped war veteran, John J. Macreedy (Tracy), steps off the train at a dying desert town called Black Rock, making it the first time a train has stopped there in four years. Macreedy is looking for a man named Komoko, but the residents are hostile to the newcomer. Macreedy is almost turned away from the hotel by Pete Wirth (Ericson) and Hector David (Marvin), but Reno Smith (Ryan), Black Rock's leading citizen, comes to his defense. He also tells Macreedy that Komoko no longer lives in town, as he was interned during World War II just because he's a Japanese-American.

Macreedy goes to see the town sheriff Tim Horn (Jagger), only to find an alcoholic afraid of Smith. Doc Velie (Brennan) advises Macreedy to leave Black Rock, and Smith lets slip that Komoko is dead. Liz Wirth (Francis), Pete's sister, rents the veteran a Jeep, which he uses to drive out to Komoko's most recent residence, finding it burned to the ground. He also finds plenty of water in the well, and a patch of wildflowers growing in the dust. Suspecting that Komoko may be buried underneath the wildflowers, Macreedy returns to town to report his findings, only to find his efforts sabotaged at every turn. He also correctly deduces that Smith was responsible for the murder, along with Hector, Pete, and Coley Trimble (Borgnine), right after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Teaming up with Liz, Doc Velie, the reluctant sheriff Horn, and Pete when he learns the truth about Macreedy's connection to Komoko, Macreedy must bring Komoko's killers to justice.

Recommended movie.