At the center is Santa Marta, an imaginary small island in the British West Indies
Leading the story is David Boyeur (HarryBelafonte), a homegrown revolutionary, whose skin is his country
But the issue here is not just one of color
The issue here is who is really best fit to represent the people in the colorful island? Who knows them the best? Who feels for them the most? Who's really a part of them? On the other hand, one of the other important fights, for Boyeur, is against tradition as Santa Marta shackles with traditions
Sizzling around the edges is Mavis Norman (Joan Fontaine) who happens to be in love with this charismatic leader Mavis Norman feels that he is superior to most men
As a public figure, there is Maxwell Fleury (James Mason) who seeks the election to revenge himself upon the whites whom he now thinks despise him Fleury is ready to use the black people so that he can still rule in that world that he still belongs to
Delving into his personal life, we see him jealous of Hilary Carson (Michael Rennie), the gentlemanly English drifter Fleury envies him because he thinks that his wife (Patricia Owens) is attracted to him Blind by love, he thinks that his wife had fall in love with Carson who is better suited to her
There is also Euan Templeton (Stephen Boyd), the governor's son, who wants to be married before he goes back to England His fiancé, Jocelyn Fleury (Joan Collins), is the most difficult person to get a wedding ring on for some powerful reason Caught in a tangle of rumors, she comes out to her mother (Diana Wynyard) who placates her by revealing a secret of her own...
There's also the governor's aide Denis Archer (John Justin) who thinks that there's always a point at the beginning of a love affair where a man can draw back, where he's still safe His love interest Margot Seaton (Dorothy Dandridge) delivers some of the film's best moments
And let us not forget the police inspector John Williamsin a really outstanding performancewho easily identifies an unpremeditated murder Colonel Whittingham considers the murderer not strong enough to bear the burden of his guilt But to tell you more would be to reveal too much too soon
Robert Rossen manages a few winningly odd performances from Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, and John Williams whose presence give the film some strong dramatic qualities
Sizzling around the edges is Mavis Norman (Joan Fontaine) who happens to be in love with this charismatic leader Mavis Norman feels that he is superior to most men
As a public figure, there is Maxwell Fleury (James Mason) who seeks the election to revenge himself upon the whites whom he now thinks despise him Fleury is ready to use the black people so that he can still rule in that world that he still belongs to
Delving into his personal life, we see him jealous of Hilary Carson (Michael Rennie), the gentlemanly English drifter Fleury envies him because he thinks that his wife (Patricia Owens) is attracted to him Blind by love, he thinks that his wife had fall in love with Carson who is better suited to her
There is also Euan Templeton (Stephen Boyd), the governor's son, who wants to be married before he goes back to England His fiancé, Jocelyn Fleury (Joan Collins), is the most difficult person to get a wedding ring on for some powerful reason Caught in a tangle of rumors, she comes out to her mother (Diana Wynyard) who placates her by revealing a secret of her own...
There's also the governor's aide Denis Archer (John Justin) who thinks that there's always a point at the beginning of a love affair where a man can draw back, where he's still safe His love interest Margot Seaton (Dorothy Dandridge) delivers some of the film's best moments
And let us not forget the police inspector John Williamsin a really outstanding performancewho easily identifies an unpremeditated murder Colonel Whittingham considers the murderer not strong enough to bear the burden of his guilt But to tell you more would be to reveal too much too soon
Robert Rossen manages a few winningly odd performances from Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, and John Williams whose presence give the film some strong dramatic qualities