Robert Ryan's terrific performance can't save this quite poor Kraft Suspense Theatre segment. It's a real drag, man!
The script was badly dated already in 1963 when this was broadcast, let alone 60 years later. It smacks of those 1950s juvenile delinquent pictures -just as preachy yet due to the wonderful dramatics throughout by Ryan it's not entertainingly campy. It adds up to a self-defeating hour.
The basic story has potentially powerful thematics, duly sabotaged by cliches. Katharine Ross and three school chums are caught after their car runs over and kills a man in the rain, and they choose to unite in refusing to admit which of them was the driver. Wealthy Ryan goes to great lengths to try and protect his daughter Ross, but both learn a lesson about integrity.
Making it hard to watch are the stereotyping of the youngsters, all young adult brats who are detestable in their spoiled rotten behavior, and an even more dated character for Phyllis Avery as Ryan's wife (Ross's mom) who is played as a clueless housewife throughout. Ross, in an early-career role, holds the screen, beauty mark and all, but unlike Ryan she's stuck playing a cardboard cutout.
The script was badly dated already in 1963 when this was broadcast, let alone 60 years later. It smacks of those 1950s juvenile delinquent pictures -just as preachy yet due to the wonderful dramatics throughout by Ryan it's not entertainingly campy. It adds up to a self-defeating hour.
The basic story has potentially powerful thematics, duly sabotaged by cliches. Katharine Ross and three school chums are caught after their car runs over and kills a man in the rain, and they choose to unite in refusing to admit which of them was the driver. Wealthy Ryan goes to great lengths to try and protect his daughter Ross, but both learn a lesson about integrity.
Making it hard to watch are the stereotyping of the youngsters, all young adult brats who are detestable in their spoiled rotten behavior, and an even more dated character for Phyllis Avery as Ryan's wife (Ross's mom) who is played as a clueless housewife throughout. Ross, in an early-career role, holds the screen, beauty mark and all, but unlike Ryan she's stuck playing a cardboard cutout.