Intruder in the Dust

Filmed in Oxford Mississippi, this forgotten classic is the best film adaptation of Faulkner. Juano Hernandez creates his most heroic character in Lucas Beachamp, a fiercely proud black farmer unjustly charged with the murder of a white man. and Elizabeth Patterson and Porter Hall--two actors specializing in eccentrics--are for once given roles with depth and richness and deliver superior performances. Even the basest characters are treated with dignity in this unique, satisfying film.

Invariably this tale of a white kid witnessing a Black man falsely accused of a crime by racist Southerners will be compared to To Kill A Mockingbird. However, this isn't a timeless film. The mystery writing is bad, the editing bizarre, and the staging direction makes actors stand around in weird ways. Still, it does illustrate a dystopian world where Black life is disposable via slurs, poverty, and lynch mobs. Recommended only if you're curious to see how Hollywood historically tackled racism.

Juano Hernandez was amazing. Gotta see more of his stuff. Great direction by Brown. Lots of neat little touches.

Interesting racism tract is a decidedly mixed bag viewed 70 years later -- performances are generally terrific, with Hernandez standing out as the accused, and Patterson not far behind (her big scene on the porch is a quiet powerhouse). It's a shame that much of the total power is diffused by heavy-handed explanations of the ethical concepts at play (especially as intoned by Brian) -- the story is already powerful enough, without having everything explained further.

Quick moving with nice acting from Hernandez. The early flashback sequence showing Chick's developing relationship with Lucas is great.

Entertaining characters and a solid anti-prejudice message, but each story element is resolved so quickly that plot is never more than about two thoughts deep. Canned, explicitly stated morals have always bothered me, too.

It's a bit of a polemic about racial prejudice in the south, which Faulkner felt strongly about. It's rather well written, at least the adaptation, but something doesn't work. Lucas ends up responding "would you believe me if I told you?" when his defense lawyer asks him why he never told him his side of the story. But Lucas was very close to paying with his life for withholding the truth that he's innocent. It just doesn't make very much sense that he wouldn't say a word to save his skin.

Along with Home of the Brave (1949), Intruder in the Dust (1949) brings home the racial attitudes in America. They were the first sound films allowed to use the N-word to get their message across, speaking up for the black man. A gripping story which doesn't hide white people's scepticism or worse attitudes toward black people. Feels authentic, to the point even the white heroes in this picture has strong oppressive behavior toward the man they're trying to save from a crazy town lynching.

O Mundo não Perdoa estreava há 70 anos no Mississipi. O próprio Faulkner gostou dessa adaptação de seu livro, não é preciso muito para saber porque, apesar de não ser particularmente fã do Clarence Brown, aqui ele nos proporciona um trabalho sólido e respeitoso em relação aos negros diferente de tudo que já tinha sido feito no cinema americano até então. DVDRip PirateBay.