Watch The Intruder

The Intruder is a suspenseful drama movie released in 1962, directed by Roger Corman and starring William Shatner, Frank Maxwell and Beverly Lunsford. The movie follows the story of a small town in the South, where racial tensions run high and a charismatic young activist arrives to stir things up. The movie begins with Adam Cramer (William Shatner) arriving in the small town of Caxton, hoping to incite racist attitudes in the town's white population. Cramer is a self-appointed leader of a group named the 'Patrick Henry Society,' which claims to be focused on protecting the American way of life. However, it is clear from the start that the tactics employed by Cramer and his associates are racist and divisive.

Cramer’s arrival in the town is met with suspicion and hostility by many of the residents. However, he manages to win over a group of locals, including a young couple, Tom (Frank Maxwell) and Viola (Beverly Lunsford). Tom, who is the editor of the town newspaper, is initially skeptical of Cramer and his motives. But as he gets closer to Cramer and his group, Tom begins to see this as an opportunity to make a name for himself and his career begins to take off.

As the story progresses, Cramer and his group become more and more violent in their rhetoric and actions, stirring up tensions between the white and black communities. The local black population is targeted with acts of violence, and Cramer is revealed to be a blatant racist, who is attempting to encourage white people to act as vigilantes against their black neighbors.

Throughout the movie, the tension builds up, as the black community, law enforcement agencies and Tom attempt to expose Cramer and his agenda. The film’s climax takes place during a public meeting, where Cramer incites a mob to attack a group of black men, putting everyone's lives in danger. The film ends on an uncertain note, leaving the viewer to decide whether justice prevails or not.

One of the key strengths of The Intruder is William Shatner’s extraordinary performance as Adam Cramer. The character he portrays is a hateful, manipulative, and selfish demagogue, who is convincing yet sinister. Even though Cramer is always in the spotlight, the other actors such as Frank Maxwell and Beverly Lunsford give equally excellent performances.

The movie effectively portrays the racial tension that existed in the South during the 1960s. The Intruder brings to screen the subject of racism, especially how it can be propagated using violent language and actions, and can create chaos and disorder in a society. The movie did not have a wide release, partly due to its explicit message, but also due to its black and white filming. Yet, it resonates as an important historic film piece that portrays the difficulties faced by African Americans.

Overall, The Intruder is a movie with an important message that highlights the importance of confronting racial injustice, even when it means standing up to influential people who are supposed to be leaders. The film does an excellent job of capturing the intensity of the situation and presenting a clear message without being too obvious. It could be considered a fine example of a movie that tries to pass on an important message via an interesting and engaging story, something that has persisted for years.

The Intruder is a 1961 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.6.