This film begins with a black man by the name of "James Lake" (Raymond St. Jacques) in the process of breaking out of prison somewhere in the Deep South. Unfortunately, his absence from his cell is soon noticed and, although he manages to escape, a prison guard is shot and killed by one of the other guards in the tower. Running as quickly as he can he just happens to come across a man by the name of "Leslie Whitlock" (Kevin McCarthy) who has supposedly developed car trouble. Being a mechanic, James helps him fix the car and as repayment Leslie offers to give him a ride. However, James soon realizes that Leslie isn't nearly as courteous as he pretends because, not long afterward, he reveals that he not only knows that James is an escaped prisoner, but also subsequently attempts to blackmail him into killing his wife "Ellen Whitlock" (Dana Wynter). Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that many people consider this to be an early example of a Blaxploitation movie and--even though it doesn't quite fit some of the technical parameters--I tend to agree with that assessment. Regardless, one thing I can say is that this was a pretty good crime-drama which seemed somewhat risqué for the time-period in question as it not only featured a totally nude Barbara McNair (as James Lake's girlfriend "Lily") in one particular love scene but also had Dana Wynter appearing topless in another one as well. So, it definitely tested the limits. Likewise, it also had an interesting plot which was hampered somewhat by the recurring flashbacks intended to reveal part of the story behind James Lake's imprisonment. Be that as it may, while some viewers might not particularly care for this film, I found this to be an enjoyable movie for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
