Fifteen-year-old girl Dotty Fisher (a touching portrayal by Betty Lou Keim) gets assaulted at a construction camp. In the wake of this incident, the construction workers form a vigilante group led by the hot-heated Frank Doran (expertly played with considerable forceful presence by Jack Warden) to find the person responsible for this crime. After the group erroneously assumes that innocent Puerto Rican Raphael Infante (a fine turn by Rafael Campos) is guilty, only one lone man named Alec Beggs (a strong and sympathetic performance by Lloyd Bridges) dares to stand up to the angry mob.
Director Sidney Lumet keeps the absorbing story moving along at a brisk pace, builds plenty of nerve-ratting tension, and vividly evokes the stifling atmosphere of an extremely small self-enclosed community. Reginald Rose's trenchant script astutely explores the dangers inherent in the lynch mob mentality as well as addresses the issue of racial prejudice in an intelligent and provocative manner. The excellent acting by the tip-top cast keeps this show humming: Bridges and Warden both excel in their meaty roles, with sturdy support from Milton Seltzer as slimy troublemaker Pike, Edward Binns as the dutiful Anderson, Robert Emhardt as Dotty's easygoing dad Matt, and Jane White as Alec's worried wife Dolores. Recommended viewing.
Director Sidney Lumet keeps the absorbing story moving along at a brisk pace, builds plenty of nerve-ratting tension, and vividly evokes the stifling atmosphere of an extremely small self-enclosed community. Reginald Rose's trenchant script astutely explores the dangers inherent in the lynch mob mentality as well as addresses the issue of racial prejudice in an intelligent and provocative manner. The excellent acting by the tip-top cast keeps this show humming: Bridges and Warden both excel in their meaty roles, with sturdy support from Milton Seltzer as slimy troublemaker Pike, Edward Binns as the dutiful Anderson, Robert Emhardt as Dotty's easygoing dad Matt, and Jane White as Alec's worried wife Dolores. Recommended viewing.