Join Us for a Special Screening of 'Bad Day at Black Rock'

Step into cinematic history with a special screening of Bad Day at Black Rock hosted by The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, as we celebrate the career of Academy alum John Ericson, whose estate has generously donated his personal archives to The Academy—including scripts, correspondence with fellow Hollywood icons, and a treasured painting. The groundbreaking 1955 neo-western was MGM’s first film in CinemaScope, and nearly seven decades later, its widescreen tension—and the powerhouse performances of Academy alumni Spencer Tracy (‘23), John Ericson (‘48), and Anne Francis (‘50)—remain as sharp as ever.

Directed by John Sturges, Bad Day at Black Rock expands the screen to match its wide, desolate desert landscapes. The film’s striking visuals emphasize its tense, near-Western atmosphere; stark widescreen compositions, brutal bursts of violence, and eerie silences heighten the suspense at every turn. As a one-armed stranger, John J. Macreedy (Tracy) arrives in a remote desert town, stirs up the very foundations of its long-held, fragile beliefs. Both Ericson and Francis deliver layered performances early in their careers, anchoring the ensemble with subtle strength.

The movie marked the end of an era for Tracy: it was his last completed MGM film after more than two decades with the studio. His performance not only won the Best Actor Prize at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival, but also earned him an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award—what a farewell it was. Fresh off her Academy training, Anne Francis appears as Liz Wirth, the town’s sole woman, offering a vital perspective into the story. Francis would go on to become one of the most versatile actresses of her time, with a career spanning film, stage, and television—from the sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet to her groundbreaking title role in the detective series Honey West.

For Ericson, Bad Day at Black Rock was a pivotal early role that revealed not just promise, but precision. Sharing the screen with legends like Robert Ryan and Ernest Borgnine—and under the commanding presence of Mr. Tracy—Ericson brought the boyish Pete Wirth, the conflicted hotel clerk caught in a moral conundrum. His understated work gave the story a vital human anchor. For an actor still at the dawn of his career, it was a striking debut on the Hollywood stage, one that foreshadowed the versatility and commitment he would carry through decades of film, television, and stage work.

Critics and industry leaders alike hailed the film as a triumph. The 1955 National Board of Review and the New York Times Film Critics both named it among the Year’s Ten Best Films. Director John Sturges received the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement and an Oscar nomination for Best Director, while screenwriter Millard Kaufman was nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay.

Beyond its accolades, Bad Day at Black Rock endures as a masterclass in tension and brevity—Sturges compresses a story about identity, courage, and justice into just 81 minutes. Its January 1958 release introduced audiences to its unique blend of film noir and Western sensibilities, solidifying its reputation as one of MGM’s most trailblazing mid-century productions. Nearly seventy years on, Bad Day at Black Rock resonates as powerfully as ever.

Join us for this exclusive screening on October 6th at 120 Madison Avenue. Witness the timeless artistry of three Academy alumni—Spencer Tracy at the height of his powers, John Ericson at the start of a distinguished career, and Anne Francis delivering a powerhouse performance—in a film that continues to inspire generations of filmmakers and audiences alike.

For reservations, email jmhernandez@aada.edu.