Der Haß ist blind (1950)

Der Haß ist blind: Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. With Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell, Stephen McNally, Sidney Poitier. A black doctor is assigned to treat two white racist suspects who are brothers, and when one dies, it causes tension that could start a race riot.

“As in other 1950s films, Richard Widmark is very scary and Sidney Poitier very noble herein. There is little preaching in Mankiewiczu0026#39;s screenplay and it has splendidly filmed action sequences. The rap that Mankiewiczu0026#39;s films are u0026quot;all talk and no actionu0026quot; is untenable (see, especially, u0026quot;The Quiet Manu0026quot; and u0026quot;Five Fingersu0026quot;), though the talk he wrote was often very incisive and very witty.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNotable for the debuts of Poitier, Ossie Davis, and Ruby Dee, this melodrama is of more than historical interest. It is a gripping, noirish tale of a nightmare experienced by a young black doctor. Although the ending is predictable, and Linda Darnellu0026#39;s character chances unconvincingly often and unconvincingly far (and her clothes are inconceivable for a drive-in car hop!), u0026quot;No Way Outu0026quot; is more than a historical curiosity. (And Mankiewicz deserves reconsideration as one of the directors who really was the author of the films he directed, up there with Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges.)”