Axel (John Cassavetes) drifts from city to city running away from a dark secret. He calls home but is unable to speak to his parents. In New York, Tommy Tyler (Sidney Poitier) offers him help getting a dock work job but he uses a different connect, Charlie Malick (Jack Warden). Charlie turns out to be a corrupt racist who has a running feud with Tommy. Tommy keeps trying to befriend Axel and even sets him up with his wife (Ruby Dee)'s white friend Ellen Wilson.
It's nothing for today's audience but back in the day, it's quite progressive to have this black character. He is higher than most of the white characters. His wife has a white friend. The racism is overt only with Charlie and his minions. Even the police treats his murder as another regular murder. In essence, Tommy is a regular good guy. The only problem with Poitier is that his overdramatic acting style has since become dated. His death scene is a perfect example of that and it doesn't help that it's written that way. Despite the progressive writing, there are aspects that feel dated. It's a solid step back in its day.
It's nothing for today's audience but back in the day, it's quite progressive to have this black character. He is higher than most of the white characters. His wife has a white friend. The racism is overt only with Charlie and his minions. Even the police treats his murder as another regular murder. In essence, Tommy is a regular good guy. The only problem with Poitier is that his overdramatic acting style has since become dated. His death scene is a perfect example of that and it doesn't help that it's written that way. Despite the progressive writing, there are aspects that feel dated. It's a solid step back in its day.