Themes: Doctors and Patients, Therapy, Haunted By the Past
Main Cast: Sidney Poitier, Bobby Darin, Peter Falk, Carl Benton Reid, Mary Munday
Release Year: 1962
Country: US
Run Time: 87 minutes
Plot
Unable to get through to a particularly hostile patient, psychiatrist Peter Falk goes to gray-haired senior shrink Sidney Poitier for advice. This prompts Poitier to recall his experiences during World War II. While working on behalf of the government, Poitier was assigned the case of psycho Nazi sympathizer Bobby Darin. A complex flashback structure reveals the various influences that led to Darin's warped state of mind and to his life of crime. Poitier perceives that Darin is potentially dangerous, and insists that he needs further treatment. The government sees things differently, and allows Darin, who on the surface shows signs of recovery, to leave the hospital. The horrible results of this decision serve to convince Poitier to follow his own gut feelings no matter what his fellow "experts" might advise, and to continue probing even the most recalcitrant or deceptively "cured" of patients. Essentially a conformist psychological melodrama, Pressure Point truly comes to life whenever Bobby Darin is on the screen. His performance was outstanding, far better than his Oscar-nominated turn in 1963's Captain Newman MD. Unfortunately, the critics were aligned against Darin, possibly because of the singer/actor's well-publicized arrogance; Judith Crist went so far as to compare Darin to Dr. Samuel Johnson's walking dog, quipping that the most remarkable aspect of Darin's performance was not that he did it well, but that he did it at all. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Pressure Point is so earnest in its intentions, so keen to get across its message, that it's a shame it isn't as compelling a drama as it so desperately wants to be. Not that Pressure is bad; it has enough assets to not only keep it from being bad but to raise it above average. But it has the major flaw of many Stanley Kramer films in that it thinks its message needs to take precedence over dramatic concerns. As a result, much of the screenplay is overly talky and, more problematically, overly obvious. That said, the writers still have managed to concoct a number of scenes that have flair and life in them, and these go a long way to making up for the script's lapses. More importantly, Pressure has a director that demonstrates some flair for handling this material and an actor that delivers a bravura performance that is often electrifying. Director Hubert Cornfield shoots much of the flashback sequences in a dreamy, surreal style that creates cinematic interest and works hard to point up underlying drama whenever possible. And Bobby Darin turns in a stunning performance that raises the film several notches and is deserving of much wider acclaim that it has received. It's a committed, deeply felt, anguished turn that leaves an undeniable impression. Opposite him, the usually formidable Sidney Poitier comes across as too reserved, perhaps shackled by the limitations of the role. Poitier has his moments, but he keeps getting overshadowed by Darin. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
George C. Webb - Art Director, Joe King - Costume Designer, Phil Bowles - First Assistant Director, Hubert Cornfield - Director, Frederic Knudtson - Editor, Ernest Gold - Composer (Music Score), George Lane - Makeup, Rudolph Sternad - Production Designer, Ernest Haller - Cinematographer, Nate H. Edwards - Production Manager, Stanley Kramer - Producer, George Milo - Set Designer, Hubert Cornfield - Screenwriter, S. Lee Pogostin - Screenwriter, Robert Lindner - Short Story Author
