The River is Red
The River is Red ★★ 1948 (R)
Trying to save his younger brother Tom (Moscow) from the beatings Dad regularly gives him, Dave Holden (Scott), stabs their father to death. As a minor (and therefore subject to a lighter sentence), Tom takes the rap and is sent to a juvenile home until he is 21. Dave's guilt (and the debts his father has left him) cause him to become physically violent, leading him into a life of crime. When the brothers reunite, emotions come to a head. Based on Drilling's one-act stage play, film boasts fine performances but nevertheless fails to take advantage of its controversial plot and deep psychological themes. A more thorough examination of the motivations would have made for a heightened outcome and a more interesting film overall. 104m/C VHS . Tom Everett Scott, David Moscow, Cara Buono, Denis O'Hare, Leo Burmester, Tibor Feldman, James Murtaugh, David Lowery, Michael Kelly; D: Eric Drilling; W: Eric Drilling; C: Steven Schlueter; M: Johnny Hickman.