This is a very daring film from famed director Luis Buñuel. While he's famous for the films he made in Mexico and France, this is an American-made film featuring American actors. Here he takes on two hot topics for 1960--racism and pedophilia! While some films from Hollywood were tackling racism, most were very sanitized and featured black actors who were non-threatening--very well-spoken and easy to like. Here, however, the black man is darn angry--something you just didn't see back in films in 1960. As far as pedophilia goes, you never really heard it discussed in films--and the movie was far ahead of its time.
The film begins with a black guy (Bernie Hamilton) washing up on the shore of an island in the American Southeast. Apparently he'd been accused of raping a white woman and had escaped on the small boat to avoid a lynch mob. It turns out the island is a private hunting preserve and the white trash game warden (Zachary Scott) is off the island on business. The only other resident is a young girl (about age 12) whose grandfather (and only guardian) just died--who exactly the old man was and how they came to be there is never discussed but you know that the girl has never been off the island and is ignorant of the world. She finds the man and helps him--giving him food and treating him with respect--presumably because she never learned to hate black people.
When Scott returns, he tries to kill Hamilton--and it's not even because of the rumor that he raped a woman. He thinks Hamilton has stolen some items...plus in Scott's mind, it's okay just to shoot any old trespasser! But, it turns out Scott is much worse than this--as he soon begins molesting the girl. As for her, she's so sheltered and backward she doesn't quite understand what's happening.
There is a lot more that happens after this--most of which is excellent and very compelling. The only negative is the character of the preacher, as Buñuel had a rather pathological hatred of religion. Even though this minister is probably the most likable of any holy man in a Luis Buñuel film, he is totally square and rigid in his thinking--moralistic and a bit dumb. But, he still is basically a very good man (a rarity in these films). His character was simply too one-dimensional--as no preacher is THAT oblivious! Yes, we know the director hated priests and the like, but this did appear to hinder the film's believability--which is a shame, as it's a darn fine film and very, very, very realistic otherwise. And, because it is so well-made and daring, I still strongly recommend you see it, as it's not like anything being made in this country at the time. While some felt this was a lesser film by the director, I actually think it's among his most powerful and best movies. I loved the raw language (back in 1960 and even today it's really tough stuff) and parallel about the white man who could easily excuse pedophilia but couldn't wait to kill the black man!! Wow...gritty.
The film begins with a black guy (Bernie Hamilton) washing up on the shore of an island in the American Southeast. Apparently he'd been accused of raping a white woman and had escaped on the small boat to avoid a lynch mob. It turns out the island is a private hunting preserve and the white trash game warden (Zachary Scott) is off the island on business. The only other resident is a young girl (about age 12) whose grandfather (and only guardian) just died--who exactly the old man was and how they came to be there is never discussed but you know that the girl has never been off the island and is ignorant of the world. She finds the man and helps him--giving him food and treating him with respect--presumably because she never learned to hate black people.
When Scott returns, he tries to kill Hamilton--and it's not even because of the rumor that he raped a woman. He thinks Hamilton has stolen some items...plus in Scott's mind, it's okay just to shoot any old trespasser! But, it turns out Scott is much worse than this--as he soon begins molesting the girl. As for her, she's so sheltered and backward she doesn't quite understand what's happening.
There is a lot more that happens after this--most of which is excellent and very compelling. The only negative is the character of the preacher, as Buñuel had a rather pathological hatred of religion. Even though this minister is probably the most likable of any holy man in a Luis Buñuel film, he is totally square and rigid in his thinking--moralistic and a bit dumb. But, he still is basically a very good man (a rarity in these films). His character was simply too one-dimensional--as no preacher is THAT oblivious! Yes, we know the director hated priests and the like, but this did appear to hinder the film's believability--which is a shame, as it's a darn fine film and very, very, very realistic otherwise. And, because it is so well-made and daring, I still strongly recommend you see it, as it's not like anything being made in this country at the time. While some felt this was a lesser film by the director, I actually think it's among his most powerful and best movies. I loved the raw language (back in 1960 and even today it's really tough stuff) and parallel about the white man who could easily excuse pedophilia but couldn't wait to kill the black man!! Wow...gritty.