Reflections
on “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1954)
Directed
by John Sturges
Written
by Millard Kaufman
Starring
Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Walter Brennan, Dean Jagger,
Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin and Anne Francis
“Bad Day at Black Rock” offers
a unique blend of genres, with elements of a thriller, crime drama, revisionist
western, film noir and even, to a limited degree, of martial arts.
John Macreedy, a second
world war veteran who lost his left arm in battle in Italy, steps off a train
shortly after the end of the war in 1945 at the isolated hamlet of Black Rock in
the Californian Desert in search of a man named Komoko, a resident of nearby
Adobe Flat. He also steps into a small barren community governed by secrecy,
fear and conspiracy, and Macreedy’s suspicions are raised as he encounters a
decidedly unfriendly and even hostile reception.
By way of taut pacing, terse
character development, excellent use of the isolated location bathed in radiant
and illuminating light and surrounded by pressure-inducing searing heat, writer
Kaufman and director Sturges steadily build tension, conflict and threat as
Macreedy uncovers the truth about Komoko’s fate. He died violently at the hands
of a local mob in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Macreedy seems
set to face a similar end as he tries to involve the authorities and then leave
town.
This stripped-back setting
and these sinister events make for an exciting and highly engaging thriller and
crime drama in their own right, but the scope and interest of the film are
extended and compounded by the involvement of racism as a motivating factor,
and are further enhanced by a swipe at McCarthyism as characters are pressured to
conform to and support views or actions that they might not, normally, embrace.
Farmer Komoko is killed
by local kingpin Reno Smith, accompanied by some henchmen, as they project
responsibility and guilt for the heinous act of attacking Pearl Harbor onto
Komoko, merely because he shares the nationality of those actually responsible.
Smith’s humiliation at Komoko’s hard work and success in unearthing water on land
rented from Smith and consequently making a go of farming it, combined with
Smith’s rejection on health grounds by the draft board, may also have
contributed to this egomaniac’s disproportionate desire for condemnation and revenge
and suggests personal rather than, as he sees it, vaguely principled, if quite
irrational, reasons for his actions.
The senselessness and
illogicality of racism (by which I mean the apportioning of responsibility and
blame due simply to nationality, ethnicity or culture) is accentuated by the
fact Macreedy’s life was saved by Komoko’s son (a serving member of the
American military) but he lost his life and Macreedy simply wishes to pass on to
Komoko the medal awarded to his son for bravery. These citizens of Japanese
descent therefore embodied many of the characteristics rightly held so high by
American citizens, including, presumably, Reno Smith and his cohort.
The small town of Black
Rock may exemplify the small minds that inhabit it. Smith appears to lack the
empathy, compassion or social awareness required to understand the depth of his
crime. He wields considerable financial and social influence in his town and as
such he exercises influence and control over most of the residents. Some offer
him blind loyalty and obedience while others retain enough integrity and
independence for their consciences to bother them but they lack the leadership
and guidance to motivate and encourage them to challenge a situation they know
to be wrong but which they have accepted through fear and a sense of allegiance
to their friends, neighbours and employers, as well as a natural inclination
toward self-preservation.
However, John Macreedy
represents reason, objectivity, determination and integrity, and he lights
their fuse of heart-searching, challenge and indignation, provoking them into
taking action to seek justice and save Macreedy.
Smith acts to exercise his
values, as he sees them, and maintain his freedom, but this is clearly at the
expense of others’ freedom and rights. This can certainly be viewed as an
oblique reference to the era of McCarthyism in vogue at the time of the film’s
release, with the implication that individuals should summon the courage and
strength to defy attempts to impose conformity and adherence to a prescribed position
at the expense of thought, freedom and perhaps morality, a message that holds
good today.
This film is expertly
crafted and builds tension, suspense and excitement while inviting reflection
on morality and social duty before reaching its explosive and satisfying end.
Spencer Tracy was
undoubtedly a little too old for his role as Macreedy but his very age,
experience and appearance add much to many scenes, especially the scene in
which he defends himself in the bar/diner using some karate moves, suggesting
there is much we can learn from the culture of others rather than simply reject
it.
Other roles are played equally
well and contribute greatly to this excellent thought-provoking thriller.
My thanks for taking the
time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk) BLOG YOUTUBE
