Susan Hayward was alone in converting one of the six Oscar nominations bestowed upon this earnest biopic of convicted killer Barbara Graham.
Hayward was never the subtlest of actresses, yet she admirably conveys the shift from wisecracking broad to terrified patsy as the prospect of the gas chamber inexorably becomes a reality. Robert Wise's edgy use of close-ups and Johnny Mandel's nuanced jazz score also play their part in this transition. But Wise's direction is inconsistent, with the tension often being allowed to slacken, most notably while psychiatrist Theodore Bikel and journalist Simon Oakland attempt to prove that Hayward was framed.