The View from Pompey's Head Reviews

New York lawyer Egan returns to his southern hometown, Pompey's Head, when Rambeau requests that he investigate circumstances involving her husband, Blackmer, an aging author who has gone blind. Some of his royalty checks are missing and Rambeau suspects Blackmer of cashing them without her knowledge. Egan's trip turns nostalgic when he sees Wynter, his childhood sweetheart. Though she is now married to Mitchell, a rich, gross slob, Wynter feels the old attraction heat up. Eventually, Egan discovers what Blackmer has been doing with the money. His mother was a black woman, the mistress of Blackmer's father. Rather than risk scandal, Blackmer has been quietly paying her off in return for her silence. Egan finally cools the romance with Wynter, knowing the affair will only lead to trouble. Though a potentially shocking drama, this is an unusually subdued film. The plot unfolds quietly, without the passion that constantly lurks behind events, including the tense racial climate of the American South during the 1950s. There's also a missing spark between Egan and Wynter, although the two actors play well off each other, their accents and mannerisms accurate, showing realistic southern characteristics. Dunne's direction, though never probing enough, handles the job adequately. The drama is presented with intelligence and style, capturing the color of the South with an effective use of CinemaScope.