Sometimes movies can seem better because the appearance of an actor recalls past roles that expand the scope of the story.
In this case, we have a short TeeVee movie that isn't incompetent. For the era, that was a major deal.
Its based on "The Chase" with Jane Fonda and Marlon Brando, plus an already famous Rod Serling -type twist. A driver kills a drunk pedestrian in a remote town, then the facts become all contested by those in that town.
We are supposed to be sustained by the depth of the characters; compared to other TeeVee fodder, they are deep. But if you watch it today, you won't have that, so you have to rely on the twist and threat to carry you, and they just aren't that powerful.
But it features Ann Francis in a key role, a mysterious beautiful woman who represents the mystery.
This is the same woman who at 26 played the teenage daughter of a Prospero in perhaps the greatest pure science fiction movie ever, "Forbidden Planet." Her face has changed (here at 43), but she has that distinctive mole that transports us back to the planet every time we see her here.
In "planet" she was a sort of representative of uncontrollable urges that represent the larger part of life.
If you know that, and can read it into this thin construction, it is enriched.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
