OUTRAGE (1950)

Fourth of the six independent features Ida Lupino directed, co-wrote & just once starred in as part of The Filmmakers, all with producer/writer Collier Young, her husband whom she divorced halfway thru the series.  Possibly the best, it’s certainly toughest of the social issue topics they covered; rape and its psychological aftermath.*  And while producer Stanley Kramer got more press hanging his indie shingle on social issues, he tilted toward the noble where Lupino was hard-nosed & no-nonsense.  As usual, Lupino (pretty much the only game in town when it came to female directors) tends toward blunt, and is hardly blessed with filmdom’s best casts (here Mala Powers’ sophomore outing as the victim has you imagining Lupino taking over the role).  But as director, Lupino packs a lot into every shot as this young woman in a small town where everyone knows your business is attacked, tries to act as if everything’s fine, then abruptly breaks her engagement and without a word runs off to . . . where?  Headed from the Midwest to L.A. (SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST?) she finds a welcome at a stopover in California orange territory, its migrant no-questions-asked workforce and orchard job openings just the ticket to a fresh start, even a fella.  But when a social event reignites the demons she was running away from, Powers erupts with violence and heads to the hills.  This second dash also ignites something in Lupino, who, with help from cinematographer Archie Stout, turns out the best set piece in her entire output.  A rapturous, lyrical terror, caught by Stout in rich fluid textures, more bright poetic hysteria than dark noir, in a manner that recalls Frank Borzage or even F.W. Murnau.  There’s a tricky renunciation at the end, and some moral/legalistic speechifying, but the film easily rides them out.  Strong work by Lupino, who soon moved to tv directing after her remarkable independent run.

SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY/LINK:  Powers must have felt comfortable next to co-star Tod Andrews since he looks (and acts) like a stand-in for her debut co-star Farley Granger in EDGE OF DOOM/’50.  https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2017/06/edge-of-doom-1950.html

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID/LINK:  *The critical & commercial success of JOHNNY BELINDA/’48 helped sell the tough subject matter to distributor R.K.O.  Note that you still couldn’t say ‘rape’ or even ‘sexual assault’ if you wanted to get a wide theatrical release; ‘criminal assault’ had to do.  https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2008/05/johnny-belinda-1948.html