Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

96% of critics liked it
(25 reviews)
85% of users liked it
(5,320 ratings)

This powerfully tense, fast-paced suspense drama also yields a grim social message about racial prejudice. Spencer Tracy is John J. MacReedy, a one-armed stranger who comes to the tiny town of Black Rock one hot summer day in 1945, the first time the train has stopped there in years. He looks for… More This powerfully tense, fast-paced suspense drama also yields a grim social message about racial prejudice. Spencer Tracy is John J. MacReedy, a one-armed stranger who comes to the tiny town of Black Rock one hot summer day in 1945, the first time the train has stopped there in years. He looks for both a hotel room and a local Japanese farmer named Komoko, but his inquiries are greeted at first with open hostility, then with blunt threats and harassment, and finally with escalating violence. MacReedy soon realizes that he will not be allowed to leave Black Rock; town boss Reno Smith (Robert Ryan), who had Komoko killed because of his hatred of the Japanese, has also marked MacReedy for death. MacReedy must battle town thugs, a treacherous local woman (Anne Francis), and finally Smith himself to stay alive. The entire cast is flawless, especially Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin as the mean-spirited town bullies, and the relentlessly paced action never eclipses the film's sobering themes. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 22 min.
Directed By: John Sturges
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 7, 1955 Wide
On DVD: May 10, 2005
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
An action film for people who don't like action films.
Variety Staff, Variety
Considerable excitement is whipped up in this suspense drama, and fans who go for tight action will find it entirely satisfactory.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Slowly, through a process of guarded discourse, which Director John Sturges has built up by patient, methodical pacing of his almost completely mate cast, an eerie light begins to glimmer.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Fabulous 1955 Spencer Tracy story of prejudice.
Chris Cabin, Filmcritic.com
a portrait of American distrust leading into the potent paranoia of the Cold War
Keith Uhlich, Time Out New York
John Sturges's macho B-picture is more brawn than brains...but what brawn!
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Millard Kaufman's dialogue at times sticks to the roof of the mouth, but Sturges' visual construction is minute
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
A nerve-shredding masterpiece.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Tracy is at his subdued, thoughtful best, while Ryan perfectly conveys the ignorance behind racial prejudice and Borgnine and Marvin are memorable heavies.
Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly
One of Spencer Tracy's best performances
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Nicely put together by Sturges, its suspense derives largely from the excellent performances and imaginative use of the 'Scope frame by cameraman William C Mellor.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Like High Noon, it's a self-conscious genre picture, a modern version of the traditional Western used to tackle the problem of racism and discrimination against Japanese-Americans.
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
Title be damned, Sturges's classic isn't a bad way to spend a day.
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
Sturges laces his allegory with mounting tension.
Rory L. Aronsky, Film Threat
...watching this set of actors go at it with each other, with Tracy as the calm center of gravity, is impressive.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...a psychological study of guilt and cowardice as well as courage, strength, and growth.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Bad Day at Black Rock is a tightly knit classic that helps one to admire the continuing power of good movies.
Enrique Fernandez, Miami Herald
Superb, if it weren't, as we said, for the too-obvious liberal teachings that interrupt the terrific ation.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A pretty good suspense movie with Tracy, it has it's good moments, but it also has boring moments.
Randy T

Great vehicle for Spencer Tracy that plays on post WWII anti-Japanese sentiment. Terrific cast includes Tracy, Walter Brennan, Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin.
Mark H

Modern western about a one-armed stranger who comes to the tiny town of Black Rock in 1945 in search of a man. Immediately he is harassed by the townsfolk. But why are they so hostile? What dark secret lies at the heart of this seemingly nondescript town? The unsurprising answer… More
Modern western about a one-armed stranger who comes to the tiny town of Black Rock in 1945 in search of a man. Immediately he is harassed by the townsfolk. But why are they so hostile? What dark secret lies at the heart of this seemingly nondescript town? The unsurprising answer was perhaps cutting-edge for 1954, but it's rather overused today. Self important message movie is tense and well acted, however. Oscar nominated for Best Actor, Director and Screenplay.
Lanning :

The story seems a little bit improbable, but what a great cast. Walter Brennan, for sure, has all the best lines. Definitely not one of Tracy's bigger challenges. Indeed this is one he could have pulled off with one arm tied behind his back.
Ken S

Spencer Tracy as a one armed bad ass
Michael G

Bad Day at Black Rock starts off pretty slow and Spencer Tracy apparently playing what seems to be his typical regular schmoe/great guy roles he was famous for around this point in his career--minus his left arm of course. But once the movie unfolds (getting past Robert Ryan playing… More
Bad Day at Black Rock starts off pretty slow and Spencer Tracy apparently playing what seems to be his typical regular schmoe/great guy roles he was famous for around this point in his career--minus his left arm of course. But once the movie unfolds (getting past Robert Ryan playing his archetypal shithead he was also famous for, not to mention the general claustrophobia of the movie) and Tracy eventually starts peeling away and beats the shit out of Ernest Borgnine (with ONE arm no less) Bad Day at Black Rock lets loose. Damn fine stuff once it gets going.
jay n

The cast really puts this over, story is nothing that hasn't been done before but the acting and cinemascope make it involving.
xGary X

A one-armed Spencer Tracy in one of the great ass-kicking roles, as he uncovers a conspiracy of silence in a small town. An intelligent examination of prejudice with yet another brilliant performance by Tracy.
Hal M

Way overrated. Spencer Tracy is 25 years over age for this role and quite implausible as the recently discharged war vet who can defeat a big raging foe literally one-handed. The supporting roles are all badly overacted. The dialogue and plotting is stagey in the worst way. The… More
Way overrated. Spencer Tracy is 25 years over age for this role and quite implausible as the recently discharged war vet who can defeat a big raging foe literally one-handed. The supporting roles are all badly overacted. The dialogue and plotting is stagey in the worst way. The Message tritely obvious.
Danny R

A tough hard-edged and suspenseful drama with a powerhouse cast lead by Spencer Tracy in a superlative Oscar nominated performance as John J. Macreedy a World War II veteran with a crippled left arm, who comes to the tiny California desert town of Black Rock, one very hot summer day… More
A tough hard-edged and suspenseful drama with a powerhouse cast lead by Spencer Tracy in a superlative Oscar nominated performance as John J. Macreedy a World War II veteran with a crippled left arm, who comes to the tiny California desert town of Black Rock, one very hot summer day in 1945. Macreedy wants to find a Japanese farmer and give to him the medal won by son, who saved his life and was killed in action.
Dimitris S

Segregation is where the ends meet,no?The case is closed for a community which refuses to face reality's asphyxiating outcome.Tracy's attachment to the amoral protagonist earns the film a lot of points because the face of Black Rock parallels that of U.S. citizens at a time… More
Segregation is where the ends meet,no?The case is closed for a community which refuses to face reality's asphyxiating outcome.Tracy's attachment to the amoral protagonist earns the film a lot of points because the face of Black Rock parallels that of U.S. citizens at a time where governmental decay was waving around the barren lands. What is the Holy Judgment you'll say and why should there be severe punishments for all the hostiles of the law?Free will i say....no free will,more discrimination....
Wu C

Pretty good for mid 50's. I may have expected too much, but it's still a must for film geeks. Nice to see Lee Marvin and Borgnine early in their careers.
Patrick D

Such a curious and interesting premise to this film. I really enjoyed it. It even had aspects of western which was great.