A curiosity of a film, 'Storm Warning' is both a typical and unusual Ronald Reagan vehicle during the latter part of his film career. Typical in that the Reagan character, in this case District Attorney Burt Rainey, is a bland straight-arrow; unusual in its subject matter, the Ku Klux Klan. What perhaps started out as an expose' of that organization ends up portraying it as a sort of corrupt men's club whose chief vice is stealing the members' dues. Rainey investigates the murder of a news reporter and finds no one will admit to witnessing it, intimidated as they are by the KKK (one of whom killed the man). A woman from out of town, Marsha Mitchell (Ginger Rogers), did see it and is unaware of the situation in the small community, where locals kowtow to the Klan. At first she offers to testify, then withdraws after learning her sister (Doris Day) is married to one of the Klansmen (Steve Cochran, in a wonderfully loutish performance as the murderer). Finally, justice prevails, and the Klan is discredited. Viewers with even a passing knowledge of the KKK will find it almost unrecognizable in 'Storm Warning.' There is no mention of the group's hatred and persecution of blacks, Catholics, Jews, foreigners, etc. In fact, there's not a single black character in the entire film. The heavyset head Klansman might as well be the corrupt head of a labor union or a crooked politician. The very things which distinguish the KKK from other groups are not glossed over, they simply don't exist in this film. And what criticism is leveled against the Klan is of the 'one size fits all' variety; again, they may as well be talking about a poorly run hunting lodge. It's not until the final scene that we see a real Ku Klux Klan gathering that approximates, at least visually, what we might expect. Members wearing white robes, a big cross burning, and Marsha Mitchell being whipped for threatening to go to the DA with what she knows. I daresay this is the only film in history where you can see Ginger Rogers being treated in such a manner. It's tamer than it sounds though and some of the dialogue is laughable. The head Klansman sits on high as the whip comes down, taunting Mitchell with 'epithets' such as "Outsider! Busybody!" Hey buddy, watch your language. Then District Attorney Rainey shows up, showing all the indignation and righteous anger he might display when breaking up a back-alley poker game. (He goes up to one Klanswoman who has her daughter with her and says, "She should be home in bed.") There is panic in the Klan's ranks and Cochran's character is shot and killed just before the ensuing mêlée. Reagan's final speech to the crowd is not exactly ringing or riveting- "You're a bunch of mean-spirited little people... here desecrating the cross." But it's enough to send them all home, ashamed. Kind of like we feel for sitting through this mess.
Review of Storm Warning
