BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (1954) *** American surrealism, adobe noire, the only accurate way that the government can be portrayed, extra points at midnight if you can spot the idea that got used in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I'm sorry, was Ernest Borgnine elected by secret ballot or something? How else could he be in this, Johnny Guitar, and Convoy. Is he also hidden in a scene in Mickey One that I didn't notice? There appears to be so little going on that it's impossible to follow, and I for one, like Spencer Tracy, don't believe any of it for a minute. Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Anne Francis and Dean Jagger make appearances, without process being served either before or after, which proves that John Sturges is correct: a little bit of ducking and the knowledge of how to capacitate a molotov cocktail can be of use in repercussive situations. "I believe a man is as big as what'll make him mad."
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