Crisis Reviews

Foolishly vacationing in a revolution-torn South American country, brain surgeon Grant and wife Raymond are kidnaped by dictator Ferrer's thugs. This melodrama, while overlong, is nonetheless intriguing as a comparison between a dictatorial regime and democracy. Forced to operate on the waning Ferrer, Grant tediously explains the steps of the surgery while demonstrating on a dummy's head. The rebel forces try to get Grant to make a slip of the knife, but they are unsuccessful. Before the operation begins Grant's wife is abducted by the revolutionaries, but he is unaware of her disappearance. Grant successfully performs the operation, but in a touch of irony the recovering Ferrer collapses in an attempt to put down a revolt. His successor is felled by a sniper's bullet, and the democratic forces come to power. Slow-moving script is well-executed by cerebral director Brooks, and given vitality by Rozsa's atmospheric sound-tracking.