Movie: Bad Day At Black Rock

A train stops in the town of Black Rock.   1st time in four years and everyone in town takes notice.  A stranger gets off and he’s not welcome from the start.  He feels it right away.  He checks into the only hotel and says he’ll be staying for a day.  He’s looking for an old friend of his and a place called ‘Adobe Flats’.  Hearing this the town’s paranoia kicks into to high gear.  He has turned Black Rock upside down in a matter of minutes.

In the next 24 hours, Mcready is in a situation that’s like a living nightmare.  What’s going to happen?  What happens is a great film.  Mcready just wants to find his friend and the town ,led by Reno, will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen.

It’s a slow burn but Babyhead was along for the ride.  It’s all paranoia, menace and danger.

Sturges sets it all up.  You can feel the heat and the heaviness.  The cinematography captures the isolation of the place.  You get a real sense of time and place.

The casting is perfect.  Spencer Tracy gives a fantastic, low key, subtle performance.  Man is he good.  Robert Ryan is one of the best and he lives up to it here.  Two great actors with a supporting cast that won’t quit.  Jagger, Brennan, Marvin, Borgnine.  Ernie and Tracy’s scrap is worth the price of admission.  “You mess with me, I’ll kick a lung outta ya”.

I think Cincinnati Babyhead’s dad turned him on to this one.  What a treasure.  American film making at it’s best.

So hop on the train and get off at Black Rock for the day and enjoy the sights.  Spencer did.  And hey, watch out for those one armed men, they’re dynamite.  All a board!