Sidney Poitier is a prison psychiatrist trying to help prisoner Bobby Darin who is unable to sleep. The problem is that Darin is in prison for being a Nazi and hates Poitier. He manages to help with his issue anyway, but then clashes with prison officials over Darin's parole.
Both Poitier and Darin are good in what's virtually a two man film. The issue is that this film is very consumed with it's period's obsession with psychoanalysis, so much so that this feels like a story about two archetypes, not real people. Despite having quite a few inventive visual ideas, it's ultimately a not very interesting examination of some interesting questions, chiefly a doctor's ethical obligations when dealing with morally repugnant patients.
Stanley Kramer produced the film, but he also directed a wrap-around segment that has Peter Falk as a psychiatrist asked to treat a young black patient who hates white people. An older Poitier is his boss and he tells Falk the film's story. Truth be told, other than the minor pleasure of seeing Falk on screen for a few minutes, it adds almost nothing to the film.
Both Poitier and Darin are good in what's virtually a two man film. The issue is that this film is very consumed with it's period's obsession with psychoanalysis, so much so that this feels like a story about two archetypes, not real people. Despite having quite a few inventive visual ideas, it's ultimately a not very interesting examination of some interesting questions, chiefly a doctor's ethical obligations when dealing with morally repugnant patients.
Stanley Kramer produced the film, but he also directed a wrap-around segment that has Peter Falk as a psychiatrist asked to treat a young black patient who hates white people. An older Poitier is his boss and he tells Falk the film's story. Truth be told, other than the minor pleasure of seeing Falk on screen for a few minutes, it adds almost nothing to the film.