Bad Day at Black Rock

My mom and pretty much anybody probably thinks this is an odd movie, but I like it. It's kinda retro acd cool.

Bad Day at Black Rock

-Made in 1955
-Combines the elements of western movies and film noir
-Tells the story of a mysterious stranger who arrives in a tiny desert town in the southwest US in search of a friend of his.
-Stars Spencer Tracey, Robert Ryan, Anne Francis, Dean Jagger, Walter Brennan, John Ericson, Ernest Borgnine

Plot
-In 1945, John J. Macreedy(Spencer Tracey) is a handicapped man who steps off a Southern Pacific passenger train in the desert town of Black Rock. It's the first time the train has stopped there in 4 years. He is looking for a man named Komoko, but the few people in the town are severly hostile. The desk clerk, Pete Wirth(John Ericson) claims he has no available rooms. Macreedy is then threatened by the town troublemaker Hector David(Lee Marvin). Reno Smith(Robert Ryan), the unofficial leader of the town, informs Macreedy that Komoko, who is Japanese-American, was interned during World War II

-Suspicious of something, Macreedy sees the town sheriff tim Horn(Dean Jagger), but the alcoholic lawman is afraid of Smith.The local animal vet and undertaker Doc Velie(Walter Brennan) tells Macreedy to leave town immediately. Smith then somehow lets it slip that Komoko is dead. Pete's sister Liz(Anne Francis) gets Macreedy a Jeep and he uses it to drive to nearby Adobe Flats where Komoko lived. When he arrives, all he finds is a burned down homestead. On his way back, Coley Trimble(Ernest Borgnine) tries to run him off the road

-Later on when Smith asks Macreedy, he informs Smith that he lost the use of his arm fighting in Italy. Macreedy tells him that wildflowers were found near the Komoko place, leading him to believe that Komoko's body is buried underneath. Smith reveals that he is violently against Japanese and Japanese-Americans; and he was inspired to enlist after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, but was rejected.
-Macreedy tries to phone the state police, but Pete refuses to put the call through. Doc Velie tells him that something has happend 4 years ago and that Smith is too scared to talk. When Velie offers to let Macreedy take his hearse to leave town, he finds it will not start. Hector comes along and rips out the distributor cap and spark plug wires. Macreedy locates a telegram office and makes one out to Hastings(Russell Collins) addressed to the state police. While Macreedy is having lunch, Trimble tries to pick a fight with him, but is unaware he knows karate and judo. Macreedy tells Smith that he is the one who killed Komoko.

-Macreedy heads to the hotel, with hopes that Smith and his men would not attack him in public. Hastings tries to give Smith a telegram, but Macreedy grabs it out of his hand and sees it's his own unsent message. Macreedy and Doc Velie find the sheriff and ask him to do something. When Horn confronts Smith, he takes the badge and gives it to Hector, who rips up the telegram

-After Smith and Hector leave, Macreedy finds that the loss of his arm left him in self pity, but Smith's attempt to kill him have made him stronger. He finally learns what happened after he came to Black Rock to give Komoko his son's medal; the man's son died in combat trying to save Macreedy. Komoko leased somr farmland and found there was no water there. After Smith was rejected for the Army for Pearl Harbor, he went to scare Komoko. The old man barricaded himself in the house and the men set fire to the house, and when Komoko came out on fire, Smith shot him.

-Pete lures Macreedy out of town, but stops in a canyon. He realizes he has been betrayed. When Smith starts shooting, Macreedy shelters himself behind the Jeep. Liz rushes to his help in her jeep and Smith tells her she is to die along with him. He shoots her in the back when she tries to run. Macreedy manages to make a Molotov cocktail and he throws it at smith, who comes down to shoot him.

-Macreedy drives to the town jail with the injured Smith and Liz's body. Velie and Horn rush out ecause they had enough courage to jail Hector and Trimble. The state police are called in and as Macreedy and Velie are leaving, Doc Velie requests Komoko's medal to help Black Rock heal. Before boarding the train, he gives it to him.

Cast

• Spencer Tracy as John J. Macreedy
• Robert Ryan as Reno Smith
• Anne Francis as Liz Wirth
• Dean Jagger as Sheriff Tim Horn
• Walter Brennan as Doc Velie
• John Ericson as Pete Wirth
• Ernest Borgnine as Coley Trimble
• Lee Marvin as Hector David
• Russell Collins as Mr. Hastings
• Walter Sande as Sam