Crisis

Eugene Ferguson pledged to help people when he became a doctor; but will he perform a life-saving surgery on a South American tyrant (Jose Ferrer) who's taken him captive? Yes; if Ferguson hopes to leave the troubled land. No; if he heeds the threats made by revolutionaries determined to overthrow the despot. Cary Grant plays Ferguson; a physician navigating the unexpected terrain between a rock and a hard place in this political thriller that's the directorial debut of Richard Brooks (Elmer Gantry). The role is a change of pace for Grant; and he prepared for it with diligent study and observation of surgical procedures. The result is a portrayal rooted in reality and put across with the uncanny talent of one of film's greatest stars.

• drama