Directed by John Sturges • 1955 • United States
Starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Anne Francis
Ace genre craftsman John Sturges directs Spencer Tracy and Robert Ryan in this taut western noir. Tracy is the one-armed war veteran John J. Macreedy, who arrives in the remote desert outpost of Black Rock in search of a Japanese American man. As the mysterious Macreedy’s presence in the town stirs up hostility and suspicion among the locals, he becomes increasingly convinced that they may be covering up a dark secret. The striking CinemaScope compositions, expertly handled action (witness Tracy’s karate technique), and impassioned antiracist message come together in one of the finest and most morally courageous thrillers of the 1950s.
Up Next in Brian Cox: The Craft of Acting
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In Celebration
Directed by Lindsay Anderson • 1975 • United Kingdom
Starring Brian Cox, Alan Bates, Gabrielle DayeDirector Lindsay Anderson brings his acclaimed stage version of David Storey’s ferocious and poignant drama to the screen, utilizing the same brilliant cast for a riveting cinematic triumph. A cau...
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Manhunter
Directed by Michael Mann • 1986 • United States
Starring William Petersen, Kim Greist, Joan AllenMichael Mann’s hypnotic, hyperstylized adaptation of Thomas Harris’s novel “Red Dragon” was the first film to introduce audiences to the infamous Hannibal Lecter. Will Graham (William Petersen) is a...
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The Escapist
Directed by Rupert Wyatt • 2008 • United Kingdom, Ireland
Starring Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Liam CunninghamA classic prison-break premise gets a bracing, time-shuffling twist in this tense, stylish thriller. Brian Cox delivers a typically virtuosic performance as Frank Perry, an inmate servin...
