La preda della belva

Ida Lupino was one of the few women to break through the directorial glass ceiling in Hollywood under the studio system. Not surprisingly, she also tackled proto-feminist themes that, when touched at all, were approached in so gingerly a manner that it was seldom quite clear what was being talked about. In Outrage, she treats rape and its aftermath, and though throughout the short movie it's referred to as `criminal assault,' she leaves, for once, no doubt about what happened.

Mala Powers (in her official debut) plays a secretary-bookkeeper at a big industrial plant; she lives with her parents but is engaged to a swell guy (Robert Clarke), who just got a raise and now makes $90 a week. Leaving the plant after working late one night, she finds herself being stalked. In the ensuing scene – the best in the movie – she tries to escape her pursuer in a forbidding maze of buildings and alleys but fails.

When she returns home, disheveled and in shock, the police can't get much out of her; she claims she never saw her attacker (who manned a snack truck outside the factory). Trying to pretend that nothing happened, she returns to her job but falls apart, thinking that everybody is staring at her, judging her. She goes into a fugue state, running away to Los Angeles on a bus but stumbling off at a rest stop.

Waking up in a strange ranch house, she learns that she's been rescued by Tod Andrews, a young minister in a California agricultural town. She lies about her identity and takes a job packing oranges. The two fall vaguely in love, but it's clear to Andrews that Powers is keeping dire secrets. When, at a company picnic, she seizes a wrench and cracks the skull of Jerry Paris, who was trying to steal a kiss, the truth about her past comes out....

It was a courageous movie to come out in 1950, and that may explain and excuse some of its shortcomings. Lupino never recaptures the verve of the early assault scene, and the movie wanders off into the bucolic and sentimental, ending up talky and didactic. Yes, Lupino had important information to impart, but she didn't trust the narrative to speak for itself. Her cast, pleasant but bland and generic, weren't much help, either, reverting to melodramatic postures or homespun reassurance. But Outrage was a breakthrough, blazing a trail for later discourse on what the crime of rape really is, and what it really means to its victims.

Ida Lupino is a name that we know for one of the most stunning beauties ever to appear on screen.

And the beauty is great.

So is the actress.

So is the director.

This is a stage fare sort of film. A great film has to work on stage as well as screen. A great film has to inspire kids to make believe, although the subject matter here probably is over the heads of most kids.

This is the story of a respectable young woman, a total beauty on the order of Ida herself, rich in values, who is sexually assaulted.

What she goes through after-wards is well depicted. Not only does Ida show us what the world sees, but she shows us what the young lady sees.

Throughout the film, we get textbook directing and more. Not only is it blocked like a professional stage director would block it, but it is given all the additives that film can give. To say more would be to spoil what will be a pleasant experience for the viewer.

I call it "perfect directing", but you can't have a film this perfect without perfect writing and acting as well. This film excels on all levels.

I am a stickler for credible characters in incredible circumstances. However, here, we have credible characters in credible circumstances, and we still watch with interest. It is a heart filled story that will leave the strong men in tears.

And it is not dated. Still relevant today. A hidden gem.

FILM: 7/10.

Outrage, directed by Ida Lupino, is a remarkable film that dared to challenge societal norms of its time. Released in 1950, Lupino took on the progressive and challenging task of directing a film as a woman, and not only that, but one that focused on the theme of sexual assault and its profound impacts. Even though more than seven decades have passed since its release, it's disheartening to realize that society still has a long way to go in addressing this issue.

Lupino masterfully balances the delicate line between ensuring the story's effectiveness and abiding by the restrictive guidelines set by the Hays Code. The film cleverly sidesteps explicit visuals and instead relies on the power of suggestion to convey the emotional toll inflicted on the protagonist. The result is a haunting portrayal of the psychological aftermath of sexual assault, painting a stark and disquieting picture that resonates even today.

The performances in Outrage are truly commendable. Mala Powers delivers a compelling performance as the victim of the assault, skillfully capturing the character's vulnerability, fear, and eventual strength. The supporting cast, including Tod Andrews and Robert Clarke, provide solid performances that add depth and nuance to the narrative.

However, the film's effectiveness is somewhat impacted by a significant shift in the story halfway through. The introduction of a clergyman and the subsequent exploration of religious themes take away from the film's initial focus on the consequences of sexual assault. While this thematic shift adds complexity to the narrative, it dilutes the impact of the central issue at times.

Despite this narrative detour, Outrage remains an important film that dared to tackle a sensitive subject in an era when it was largely ignored. Ida Lupino's directorial prowess shines through, challenging audiences to confront the lasting impacts of sexual assault. It serves as a reminder that although progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. Outrage is a poignant and thought-provoking film that deserves recognition for its boldness and the conversations it continues to spark.

FORMAT: Blu-ray

VIDEO: 7/10.

1080p presentation, Detail level: Good, Colour reproduction: Excellent, Level accuracy: Excellent, Encode: Good, Master condition: Good

AUDIO: 8/10.

LPCM 2.0 mono audio, Dialogue reproduction: Good, Soundtrack & effects clarity: Good, Dynamics: Good, Surround sound presentation: N/A, LFE content: N/A

MOOFIEMETER: 7/10.

It was the first film dealing with the burning subject of rape.France,for instance,had to wait till 1977 to see a (female) director -Yannick Bellon- tackle this crime.Bellon had a different way to express her disgust in her "l'amour violé" :she showed the whole scene of the rape which lasted ten interminable minutes and she did not turn the audience into peeping toms ,far from it: most of the time,they had to look away .

Given the Hayes code ,and given the limitations she was working under,Lupino's movie is quite successful.We do not see the rape ,but its aftermath is depicted in lavish details:the scene at the office where the heroine cannot stand the familiar noises anymore is a great moment;the people on the street with their big smile who talk behind her back;the fiancé who cannot understand and who wants to carry on as if nothing has happened;every man becoming a living threat for her;all rings true.

It will take a man's patience,compassion and disinterested love to push Ann towards life again.

From one time actress Ida Lupino comes one of her efforts as a director. Not many people know Lupino as director & its a shame since she really was a groundbreaking filmmaker who had a prolific output, which I'm ashamed to admit this is my first (& hopefully not my last). This story concerns an attack on a woman (who's about to be married) on her way home from work. The assault leaves the woman in such a state of shock, she breaks off her nuptials & leaves town hopefully to regain some meaning in her life which she does when she meets a kindly doctor among a hamlet of fruit pickers & farmers. Understated yet passionately depicted, the travails of the victim had to be a revelation for the 1950's, going against the grain of what had become the status quo of most male directors. A brave & honorable effort. I can't wait to watch more of her stuff.