The second version of the William Faulkner story (made with Miriam Hopkins in 1933 and one of the films that pushed the code through very quickly) is exploitation through and through. Even coming from 20th Century Fox, it just oozes of the delight in its filth. The studio had several "southerns" in the period of the late 50's to mid 1960's, sordid sagas of much troubled southern women from scandal ridden families. "The Long Hot Summer" turned out fine with a better than average script and a top notch cast (which included Lee Remick, playing scandal ridden Temple Drake in this), but films like "Blue Denim" and "Desire in the Dust" simply thrive on the desire for exposing southern decadence, and lots of novelists gave them plenty of sources.
Stranded in the middle of nowhere, Remick and her fiancee Bradford Dillman are forced to wait until morning to try and get back. She's lied to about him leaving, and taken to a rat infested shack appears to be gang raped. The scene exploits southern trash stereotypes and the viewer is unaware of who was involved. Remick gets protection from the tough talking but caring Odetta whose sentencing to death this film surrounds. What makes this all the more scandalous is the insinuation that Remick enjoyed being molested. Her pregnancy results in a huge scandal with Odetta accused of killing Remick's baby, and Remick's claim that Odetta deserves mercy, not one hangman's noose.
It's obvious that filmmakers took even the oldest of these stories to compete with the large number of films based on Tennessee Williams plays coming out. Even Williams with his eye for sin knew where to draw the line. This version of the Faulkner story leaves out a lot of details, and at 90 minutes, it's obvious that the film could have gone on for another 30 minutes to be more clear. Lots of time passes between chapters of the film, and it feels incomplete. Odetta, more known for her singing and political activities, does create a memorable character, certainly no "Mammy", but a survivor of prostitution and drug addiction. Yves Montand has a major part but gets really little to do outside of being one of the suspects in Remick's rape, coming back to taunt her which makes him seem all the more guilty. Reta Shaw has a few amusing moments as an obvious madam. Sadly not enjoyable on a camp level, but definitely a film the viewer won't soon forget.
Stranded in the middle of nowhere, Remick and her fiancee Bradford Dillman are forced to wait until morning to try and get back. She's lied to about him leaving, and taken to a rat infested shack appears to be gang raped. The scene exploits southern trash stereotypes and the viewer is unaware of who was involved. Remick gets protection from the tough talking but caring Odetta whose sentencing to death this film surrounds. What makes this all the more scandalous is the insinuation that Remick enjoyed being molested. Her pregnancy results in a huge scandal with Odetta accused of killing Remick's baby, and Remick's claim that Odetta deserves mercy, not one hangman's noose.
It's obvious that filmmakers took even the oldest of these stories to compete with the large number of films based on Tennessee Williams plays coming out. Even Williams with his eye for sin knew where to draw the line. This version of the Faulkner story leaves out a lot of details, and at 90 minutes, it's obvious that the film could have gone on for another 30 minutes to be more clear. Lots of time passes between chapters of the film, and it feels incomplete. Odetta, more known for her singing and political activities, does create a memorable character, certainly no "Mammy", but a survivor of prostitution and drug addiction. Yves Montand has a major part but gets really little to do outside of being one of the suspects in Remick's rape, coming back to taunt her which makes him seem all the more guilty. Reta Shaw has a few amusing moments as an obvious madam. Sadly not enjoyable on a camp level, but definitely a film the viewer won't soon forget.