It is interesting that a light-skinned black actress was not chosen to play the title role; perhaps this decision was made with an eye on box office. There is nothing about Crain that suggests that she's even one percent black, straining the credibility of the story. Having said that, Crain does a fine job of conveying the frustrations of a person treated as sub-human because of her race. She is well supported by the two Ethels, with Waters particularly effective as Crain's grandmother. As is often the case with Kazan, he overplays the issue to some extent. Everything is black and white (so to speak); there are no gray areas in the way the characters behave.
