No doubt that some of this film seems dated today but if you stick with it the last 30 minutes should have some sort of an effect on most viewers and it's hard to forget the performance that took home the almighty Oscar. Based on a true story (To some degree) about Barbara Graham (Susan Hayward) who we first see as a prostitute and a check forger who has had numerous run-ins with the law. She tries to change her life and gets married to Henry (Wesley Lau) and they end up having a son but shortly after a year Henry turns out to be a heroin addict and Barbara leaves him. She gets mixed up with two lowlifes and gets arrested and while in jail she learns that she is being tried for the murder of an elderly woman.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Barbara tells everyone that she is innocent but during her trial the press uses her to sell papers and print horrible things including reporter Ed Montgomery (Simon Oakland) but once the trial is over and the appeals begin he gets involved in the case and starts to write positive things about her. The prison psychiatrist Carl Palmberg (Theodore Bikel) studies her and he concludes that she didn't commit the murder but the endless appeals keep getting turned down until Barbara becomes the first woman to die in the gas chamber at San Quentin.
This film is directed by the great Robert Wise who actually witnessed a real execution to prepare him for this project and we can see through his direction that it affected him tremendously. While some say that the film has to many supporting characters and takes to long for Hayward to get to jail I thought that the film was just giving the viewer the opportunity to see what kind of person Barbara is. This film was made when method acting was at full steam and critics of Hayward will point out how over the top her performance is but I think she does a terrific job of making this role her own and leaving an indelible mark. At first it was difficult to care for this character but what was very interesting was how Barbara changed from the first half of the film to the second. Barbara can hold her own and battle anyone but once she gets locked up she is forced to trust people and rely on others for help in her cause. Under Wise's direction there is incredible tension built up as Hayward waits for a reprieve and then has to make her final walk to her ultimate execution. I'm not sure if I would call this a great film but it is one that is extremely well made and Hayward delivers the performance of her career.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Barbara tells everyone that she is innocent but during her trial the press uses her to sell papers and print horrible things including reporter Ed Montgomery (Simon Oakland) but once the trial is over and the appeals begin he gets involved in the case and starts to write positive things about her. The prison psychiatrist Carl Palmberg (Theodore Bikel) studies her and he concludes that she didn't commit the murder but the endless appeals keep getting turned down until Barbara becomes the first woman to die in the gas chamber at San Quentin.
This film is directed by the great Robert Wise who actually witnessed a real execution to prepare him for this project and we can see through his direction that it affected him tremendously. While some say that the film has to many supporting characters and takes to long for Hayward to get to jail I thought that the film was just giving the viewer the opportunity to see what kind of person Barbara is. This film was made when method acting was at full steam and critics of Hayward will point out how over the top her performance is but I think she does a terrific job of making this role her own and leaving an indelible mark. At first it was difficult to care for this character but what was very interesting was how Barbara changed from the first half of the film to the second. Barbara can hold her own and battle anyone but once she gets locked up she is forced to trust people and rely on others for help in her cause. Under Wise's direction there is incredible tension built up as Hayward waits for a reprieve and then has to make her final walk to her ultimate execution. I'm not sure if I would call this a great film but it is one that is extremely well made and Hayward delivers the performance of her career.