In late 1945, a WWII veteran with a paralyzed arm, John Macreedy (Spencer Tracy), gets off a train at Black Rock, a remote, sleepy town in the California desert, perplexing the locals because the Streamliner express train has not stopped at the Black Rock station in the past four years. John intends to go to Adobe Flats to meet a Japanese man, Komoko; however, to his surprise, no one appears keen to assist him, as the locals are suspicious of his intentions. The hotel desk clerk, Pete Wirth (John Ericson), claims that there are no hotel rooms available; the telegraph agent, Mr. Hastings (Russell Collins), asserts that the telegram service is down; the town sheriff and a drunkard, Tim Horn (Dean Jagger), refuses to tell him where Adobe Flats is, and the local mortician and veterinarian, Doc Velie (Walter Brennan), who is the friendliest of the lot, advises him to leave town and save himself. A couple of henchmen named Hector David (Lee Marvin) and Coley Trimble (Ernest Borgnine) follow him about like shadows and constantly try to rile him up, hoping he will do something to trigger an altercation and give them an excuse to kill him. It doesn’t take long for John to learn that the town is run by the wealthy and powerful Reno Smith (Robert Ryan) and that the locals are hoarding a terrible secret about Komoko, which Reno will stop at nothing to keep it a secret, including murdering John. What’s the secret? And can John escape Black Rock alive? The film builds on this intriguing premise to create a suspense-filled cinematic masterpiece.
What this film accomplishes in terms of characterization and storytelling in its 81-minute runtime is impressive and worth studying. In addition to John, the masterful screenplay by Milliard Kaufman devotes equal time and attention to developing the supporting characters in detail. Every other townfolk has an individual scene with John, which is enough to flesh out that character fully and make it distinctive. Take a scene between John and Doc; we see Doc as the town’s conscience and voice of reason. He’s trying to figure out where he fits in, torn between wanting a quiet life free of trouble and knowing that someone has been wronged and feeling guilty about doing nothing. Similarly, the encounter between John and Sheriff Tim Horne reveals Tim’s personality. He is an alcoholic who feels chained, useless, and trapped, his hands tied by those who control the town. As a result, he refuses to help John when he approaches him. The initial sight that John beholds of Tim in the scene where they first meet at the police station is of him lying in a prison cell, a powerful visual metaphor for the shackled and helpless mental condition he finds himself in.
The instant John enters Black Rock, paranoia sets in among the townfolks, who become suspicious of his motives and the purpose of his visit. As a result, the locals continuously pursue and agitate him, particularly Hector and Coley. Hector tries to rile him up by occupying his hotel room; Coley chases John in the car and nearly has his car tossed off the Cliff. The best one is the diner scene in which Coley goes a step further and gets physically aggressive, resulting in John using martial arts to knock Coley out with one hand (marking the first time martial arts were employed in a film). Even though they are all attempting to aggravate him, expecting him to make a move that will give them the pretext to beat him and possibly murder him, John is always two steps ahead of them and never gives them the opportunity. This power dynamic creates tremendous tension and maintains the pressure cooker situation throughout the film’s first two acts, as we live in continual fear that John could be murdered at any second. Even the mystery surrounding Kumoko’s fate is meticulously preserved and disclosed at precisely the appropriate moment.
Impressively, Bad Day at Black Rock delves into themes of racism and the mistreatment of Japanese Americans following the Pearl Harbor attack—all without featuring any Japanese characters. It shows how hatred towards someone (especially racial hatred)—in this case, Smith’s hatred of Japanese people—can lead to a downward spiral of irrational behavior, including acts of rage, followed by violence and, ultimately, murder. Also depicted in the film are the adverse effects of herd mentality, which have led to the town’s inhabitants—including Doc, Tim, and the sheriff—losing their values, as well as their sense of identity and individuality. It is only when a strongly self-individual character like John emerges and serves as a driving force that these people shake off their cowardice and start speaking out and taking action against the injustice occurring in their vicinity.
Additionally, the film’s strength lies in William Mellor’s stunning cinematography of the desert landscape, shot in a widescreen format. The mountains surrounding the town, appearing prominently in the background of several exterior shots, add to the town’s impression of remoteness and isolation from the rest of the world. The film boasts an exceptional cast, including Robert Ryan, Walter Brennan, Lee Marvin, and Ernest Borgnine, all of whom give top-notch performances. However, Spencer Tracy shines among them all, exuding a calm demeanor and a sense of confidence and poise in the face of constant hostility. It’s a treat to watch him at the top of his game.
Bad Day at Black Rock movie links: letterboxd, IMDB
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