Mary Ann Robinson (Carroll Baker) lives in the Bronx with her domineering mother (Mildred Dunnock) and stepfather. One night walking home from the train, she is raped in a park. She doesn't tell anyone and it takes a toll on her. She abandons her life and runs away renting a rundown apartment. Shirley Johnson (Jean Stapleton) is her loose next door neighbor. Her mother hounds detective Bogart (Clifton James) to find her. Mary Ann struggles eventually tries to jump off the Manhattan Bridge. She is stopped by passerby Mike (Ralph Meeker) who takes her back to his basement apartment. What starts out as a little creepy turns into a comfortable kindness. Then he turns up drunk and she's locked in. He won't let her go.
Carroll Baker is basically disintegrating on screen. It's an interesting performance. The turn with Ralph Meeker is an odd animal. There are so many ways to look at it and I'm sure there are people for each way. There are many ways this movie could go but I don't think the happy ending is deserved. It didn't really earn it. It's not great but I hope it's something the filmmaker wanted.
Carroll Baker is basically disintegrating on screen. It's an interesting performance. The turn with Ralph Meeker is an odd animal. There are so many ways to look at it and I'm sure there are people for each way. There are many ways this movie could go but I don't think the happy ending is deserved. It didn't really earn it. It's not great but I hope it's something the filmmaker wanted.