IMDb > Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
Bad Day at Black Rock
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Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   6,547 votes
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Director:
Writers:
Millard Kaufman (screenplay)
Don McGuire (adaptation)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Bad Day at Black Rock on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 January 1955 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Suddenly you realize murder is at your elbow! - and there's no way out! more
Plot:
A one handed stranger comes to a tiny town possessing a terrible past they want to keep secret, by violent means if necessary. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 win & 5 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Great Lineup Of Film On TCM Saturday February 6
 (From CinemaRetro. 4 February 2010, 2:19 AM, PST)

TNT Acquires Rights to Supernatural
 (From TVfanatic. 14 December 2009, 6:23 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
Powerhouse Cast in Taut Drama more (93 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Spencer Tracy ... John J. Macreedy

Robert Ryan ... Reno Smith

Anne Francis ... Liz Wirth
Dean Jagger ... Tim Horn

Walter Brennan ... Doc Velie
John Ericson ... Pete Wirth

Ernest Borgnine ... Coley Trimble

Lee Marvin ... Hector David
Russell Collins ... Mr. Hastings
Walter Sande ... Sam
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Walter Beaver ... Franklin Krool (uncredited)
Billy Dix ... Ron Bentham (uncredited)
Robert Griffin ... Second Train Conductor (uncredited)
Harry Harvey ... First Train Conductor (uncredited)
Bobby Johnson ... Porter (uncredited)
Mickey Little ... T.J. (uncredited)
Francis McDonald ... Walt Murty Cafe Patron (uncredited)
K.L. Smith ... Sterling Lenard (uncredited)
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Directed by
John Sturges 
 
Writing credits
Millard Kaufman (screenplay)

Don McGuire (adaptation)

Howard Breslin (story "Bad Time at Honda")

Produced by
Herman Hoffman .... associate producer
Dore Schary .... producer
 
Original Music by
André Previn 
 
Cinematography by
William C. Mellor (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Newell P. Kimlin 
 
Art Direction by
Malcolm Brown 
Cedric Gibbons 
 
Set Decoration by
Fred M. MacLean  (as Fred MacLean)
Edwin B. Willis 
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joel Freeman .... assistant director
 
Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller .... recording supervisor
 
Stunts
Danny Sands .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Alvord Eiseman .... color consultant
 
Music Department
Leo Arnaud .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Alexander Courage .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Wally Heglin .... orchestrator (uncredited)
André Previn .... conductor (uncredited)
André Previn .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Bad Day at Hondo (USA) (working title)
more
Runtime:
81 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.55 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (35 mm optical prints) (Western Electric Sound System) | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the original short story, MacReedy brandishes a Beretta and brags of his prowess with it, but in the movie, he uses judo - an idea meant to suggest that MacReedy is Japanese-American. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Obvious stunt driver for Spencer Tracy during the chase with Coley. more
Quotes:
Reno Smith: She must have strained every muscle in her head to get so stupid. more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
13 out of 15 people found the following review useful.
Powerhouse Cast in Taut Drama, 22 April 2002
10/10
Author: harry-76 from Cleveland, Ohio

Spencer Tracy heads a great cast in this much-admired drama that takes place in the west. It's a rare treat to see Tracy and Robert Ryan in the same film, with scenes together. Two truly top-notch veterans, with exemplary career acting achievements.

The tight script, solid directing (by John Sturges), a powerful score (by Andre Previn) and outstanding Cinemascope photography combine to elevate "Bad Day at Black Rock" to a place among the great films.

One really cannot fully apprecitate this film on a regular size pan-and-scan screen, and even the letterboxed version doesn't adequately convey the impact of its original Cinemascope moviehouse presentation. One only can try today to imagine the original. Yet, a fine film can overcome format, and "Bad Day" still packs a whopper punch.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Not my favorite movie. . miso5000
A Western? odo5435
Possible Spoiler-Macreedy's Real Plan joseph-reeves2
Robert Ryan was great in this movie. wtl471629
Most 'Oscars' represented in one film / scene ? jtcbrt
any truth to this story? Davina-8
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