The Well (1951)
10/10
Taut, gripping drama of racial tensions
7 July 2001
This lean, low-budget "B" movie is a perfect example of what excellent independent film making should be about. Take a thesis that involves elements a bit too controversial for mainstream Hollywood. Draw your characters three-dimensionally. Film it as it is actually seen through the townspeople's eyes. And find as many people as you can who are perfect for the roles as written, regardless of acting experiences.

This tale of a five-year-old "Negro" (by the vernacular of the time) girl who disappears and is believed kidnapped. A lot of groupthink, projections, assumptions and ventings of anger follow until the town finally mobilizes to locate and rescue the girl. As fresh and taut today as it was fifty years ago, the Well should be a staple requirement for everyone who wishes to get into independent films.
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