The Well (1951 film)

The Well is a 1951 American film noir directed by Clarence Greene and Russell Rouse and featuring Richard Rober, Gwendolyn Laster and Maidie Norman. It tackled the issue of racial tensions and collective behavior. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing.

Carolyns disappearance causes anger and confusion in the community, and various rumors quickly spread amongst the white and black populations when a white stranger, Claude Packard Harry Morgan, is arrested on suspicion of it.Packard, a mining engineer, is in town visiting his uncle, Sam Packard, a wellknown local businessman, who attempts to use his influence to get his nephew out of police custody. This inflames the racial tension further, and when he is approached by Carolyns relatives outside the police station, he suffers a heart attack, which is reported among the white population as a racial attack. Things quickly get out of hand as various black and white gangs starting attacking one another. ........

Source: Wikipedia