TheLittleSongbird Was really surprised at how well 'Storm Warning' turned out. Despite having a love for drama, crime and film noir films and finding the Klu Klux Klan a fascinating if harrowing subject to talk about, there was the worry as to how Ginger Rogers and Doris Day would fare in atypical roles and whether Ronald Reagan would be up to the task.'Storm Warning' may not quite be a masterpiece, or an amazing film all the way through, but mostly it does live up to its potential and really does send up a storm in its best moments. It does sink into melodrama somewhat too much in the middle, with occasionally some of the dialogue slightly overheated, Tennessee Williams-esque dialogue (do love his stuff though) didn't seem to belong here. More of an issue was that the portrayal of the Klu Klan, although brutal and menacing at times, could have been more daring and more shocking.There was the sense that the film seemed too careful not to offend (when it really shouldn't have been afraid to tell the truth and express exactly what at the time and now everyone's stance on the Klan was) meaning that there was a glossed over feel.However, 'Storm Warning' is a visually striking film, the noir-ish look is seedy and gritty yet also audacious and luminous. There are some beautiful shots here and some of it has a real creepiness, the atmospheric sets and lighting also help. There is similarly a haunting score from Daniele Amfitheatrof and suitably taut direction from Stuart Heisler, based on their efforts here wouldn't hesitate in hearing and seeing more from them.Regarding 'Storm Warning's' script, it is thought-provoking and tight on the most part, if a little melodramatic and overheated in the middle at times. The story tackles some heavy and dark themes and does so in a hard-hitting and poignant fashion, complete with an ending that wrenches the gut, aside from the too safe portrayal of the Klan itself it's pretty ahead of the time stuff we're dealing with here and it really does not pull any punches. 'Storm Warning' is as dark and gritty as one can get and is less than glamorous, but that is what makes the film as good as it is in its best moments.Casting and the performances are very good. Ginger Rogers and Steve Cochran especially so, it's a courageous dramatic turn for Rogers and one that she handles with grit and sincerity while Cochran is nerve-shredding. Wasn't expecting Ronald Reagan to work, was expecting him to be bland and out of kilter so it was surprising that he was neither, and Doris Day (though she is much better in comedy and musicals, which suit her talent far more) is cast against type in a rare early dramatic role and comes over credibly.Overall, not perfect but a valiant effort and when it's at its best boy isn't it good. 8/10 Bethany Cox

mark.waltz This powerful social drama takes Warner Brothers back to the type of socially conscious films it made during the 1930's. The evils of the proclaimed society protecting group of the KKK are exposed by their murder of a reporter out to expose them, witnessed by New York visitor Ginger Rogers who recognizes one of the men as her sister's husband, and another as his boss. With a young Doris Day as Rogers' sister, Steve Cochran as the sneaky husband (accused by his own boss of being the shooter), and Ronald Reagan as the law enforcement officer out to expose the clan for its sinister control of the Klan, this is heated drama from the start.The klan is presented as every day, normal businessmen who live simple lives but have the secret lives of klansmen. That makes their evil all the more sinister, frightening decent citizens into lying for them, and unsuccessfully trying to bully Rogers into keeping her mouth shut. But Rogers is tougher than they believe a woman can be, and it takes some time, but she'll come to her senses. Unfortunately, there are innocent victims other than the man she saw being killed.The performances are all decent, not really any stand outs, but the script is strong and riveting. Rogers and Day are believable as sisters, and Rogers really makes an impact as she freezes Cochran with her looks in the scene where they meet. The Klan is obviously filled with cowards, hooded bullies only strong in a group, and Cochran's face reveals his inner guilt. A scene with Rogers in nothing but a slip is very similar to a situation in another Warner Brothers film in production based upon a smash hit Broadway play.Still potent today, the film has some scenes thar are deeply disturbing. This nearly 70 year old movie reminds us that nothing has changed but the type of anger that reaches deep into the souls of the victimized group, the bigots that may have lost outward power but keep the hate alive, and the blithe on decent people who have strived to make things better for all groups but end up being made to feel that they could be viewed as enemies on both sides in spite of being fighters for total freedom and equality. The final scene has its shock, but a part of it seems to be more wishful thinking than reality.

billdower Storm Warning is a real curiosity in terms of its casting – dancer Ginger Rogers, one time favourite partner of Fred Astair, and Doris Day, who went on to become America's favourite virgin/mum-next-door in light-weight comedy movies (while simultaneously achieving world-wide success as a singer), are cast a sisters in a film noir with no singing and dancing but scenes of murder, attempted rape, ritual scourging and domestic violence! Billed as an expose of the Ku Klux Klan the movie has been slated in some quarters for shying away from the real issues: no mention of the racism and sectarianism for which the loathsome organisation is infamous, no black faces in the crown scenes, no real idea of the location of Rock Point, the fictional town where the action is set – all that is explicitly stated is that it isn't New York! The film opens with Ms Rogers, on the way to a marketing assignment somewhere outside of the metropolis, stopping off en-route to visit her sister in small-town USA where, as misfortune would have it, she witness the murder by Klansmen of a 'meddling reporter'. Later, on meeting her sister's husband (Steve Cochran) Ms Rogers recognises him as one of the murderers. For the sake of her sister, who has just discovered she is expecting her first child, Ms Rogers lies at the court hearing claiming she saw nothing, therefore denying county prosecutor Ronald Reagan (yep, the one that became President) the chance of issuing subpoenas to every member of the local Klan chapter in pursuance of a prosecution. Through Ronnie's dialogue and that of the chief clansman and local employer, the film does indeed seem to portray the Klan as a bunch of hoodlums, thugs and petty gangsters whose main crime seems to be evading income tax ¬– as opposed to a quasi-religious organisation hell-bent on spreading hate, distrust and violence. While this does seem to indicate the studio back peddling on its intent to rip aside the veil of mystery surrounding the Klan, there is some truth in the description of its members. If the Klan only attracted law-abiding citizens and fought for its anti-Jew/catholic/black agenda through the ballot box it would be a laughing stock. The fear-inspiring fact of the matter is that this type of hate-fuelled organisation tends to attract hoodlums and thugs who aspire to violence and lust for power. Society can deal with and dismiss the ill-thought-out philosophies of these fringe organisations but it is more difficult to deal with the law-breaking, violent acts which take place in the dead of night perpetrated by cowardly gangsters who hide their faces. Made in 1951, Storm Warning, was the first movie to feature the Klan in such a negative fashion. It is hard-hitting in number of ways – while much of the action seems a little tame to the jaded audiences of 21st century, particularly the domestic violence perpetrated by Hank Rice (Steve Cochran), which is a mere shadow of that of Marlon Brando's Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire, the scene were Ms Rogers actually vomits in the street having just witnessed the murder remains particularly shocking! While this Warner Bros production falls well short of the studio's best fare there are great performances from the leads and it is a pity the movie is so hard to get hold of – I had to get mine from a guy in Madrid!

moonspinner55 Stark, brutal Warner Bros. drama about the Ku Klux Klan, in much the same vein as the studio's "Black Legion" from 1937 (and with curious echoes of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire", written in 1947). Fashion model from New York checks in on her recently-married kid sister once she's down South, only to run into a KKK lynch-mob and their murder of a white male reporter who was attempting to unmask the Klan's dirty financial dealings (seems the Grand Dragon was doing a little money laundering on the side, as well as evading the I.R.S.). Ginger Rogers doesn't dance, Doris Day doesn't sing, and Ronald Reagan (as the County Prosecutor) doesn't win one for the Gipper; still, the star-trio does remarkably well with this provocative scenario, unusual material for these particular actors. The middle portion during a court hearing (with Rogers perjuring herself on the stand to keep her brother-in-law out of trouble) sags a bit with the weight of too much melodrama--and for someone who dearly wants to get out of town, Ginger certainly takes her time getting her act together--but otherwise the film is heated and prickly, overwrought at times but engrossing. *** from ****