This superior little "B" social consciousness polemic is an amazing accomplishment for a low-budget film; while in many ways dated, the problems between races in America have yet to reach a comfortable level, and this film's ability to demonstrate how a simple rumor can grow into fiery mob fever is not too different from the frenzy that evolves on the internet over similar issues.
Much of the inspiration for the film was probably drawn from an actual historical event earlier in the decade, when a little girl named Kathy Fiscus fell into a well and for several days the nation huddled around their radios to see if she would be rescued or not; Billy Wilder based his bitter noir Ace In The Hole (AKA The Big Carnival) on such a tragedy, and Woody Allen referenced it in his nostalgia-fest Radio Days.
The Well is really two films in one, the first being the development of a problem, and the second, the suspenseful attempt to rescue a child as a community learns to work together; the cutting is amazing, and the faces in the crowds totally unlike the usual Hollywood stereotypes. As a historical document, this is a fascinating 86 minutes.
Much of the inspiration for the film was probably drawn from an actual historical event earlier in the decade, when a little girl named Kathy Fiscus fell into a well and for several days the nation huddled around their radios to see if she would be rescued or not; Billy Wilder based his bitter noir Ace In The Hole (AKA The Big Carnival) on such a tragedy, and Woody Allen referenced it in his nostalgia-fest Radio Days.
The Well is really two films in one, the first being the development of a problem, and the second, the suspenseful attempt to rescue a child as a community learns to work together; the cutting is amazing, and the faces in the crowds totally unlike the usual Hollywood stereotypes. As a historical document, this is a fascinating 86 minutes.