A minor Ford, good nonetheless. Woody Strode gives the best performance of his career.

The strongest part of this film is Woody Strode's Sergreant Rutledge character. While he has little screen time compared to Jeffrey Hunter's star turn as the defense attorney, the film is essentially a study of his character. And to the degree that it's about that, the film succeeds. However, other elements feel more uneven--recollections by witnesses that they couldn't have known and the whole love interest angle, for instance. Ford emphasizes subjectivity in the form, which works well.