Ann Walton and Jim Owens are a young couple in love. She has a loving family. Life is good except for the unwanted attention from a food vendor next to her workplace. One night, she is alone after work and he rapes her. Everybody knows. The police is pressuring her. Jim asks her to marry him right away and she refuses. She is completely traumatized and runs away from home.
This is directed and co-written by Ida Lupino. The Production Code would never allow the rape to be portrayed. It's daring enough that it deals with the issue at all. The most compelling part is her facing the stares and the police after the crime. The first half is very compelling. The second half takes the story away from its intensity. I do understand the need for the story to keep moving but I would have liked for her to stay in the boil. She could face more police pressure and could even accuse the wrong person. There are different paths to take. This path is problematic. She still has Jim which muddies her situation. Jim should break up with her and thereby freeing her and piling on one more issue. Nevertheless, the first half is pushing so hard that the second half is able to keep the momentum going despite slowing down a bit.
This is directed and co-written by Ida Lupino. The Production Code would never allow the rape to be portrayed. It's daring enough that it deals with the issue at all. The most compelling part is her facing the stares and the police after the crime. The first half is very compelling. The second half takes the story away from its intensity. I do understand the need for the story to keep moving but I would have liked for her to stay in the boil. She could face more police pressure and could even accuse the wrong person. There are different paths to take. This path is problematic. She still has Jim which muddies her situation. Jim should break up with her and thereby freeing her and piling on one more issue. Nevertheless, the first half is pushing so hard that the second half is able to keep the momentum going despite slowing down a bit.