The KKK took my baby away, they took her away, away from me. Storm Warning was directed by Stuart Heisler and written by Richard Brooks and Daniel Fuchs. It stars Ginger Rogers, Ronald Reagan, Doris Day and Steve Cochran. Music is by Daniele Amfitheatrof and cinematography by Carl E. Guthrie. While visiting her sister in Rockpoint, model Marsha Mitchell (Rogers) becomes a witness to a Ku Klux Klan murder and sees two of the perpetrators without their hoods. Upon arriving at her sister's home, she’s shocked to discover that one of the killers is also the man her sister has fallen for! Should she do what feels right? What does District Attorney Burt Rainey (Reagan) want her to do? Or should she protect her sister and keep Hank Rice (Cochran) from going to prison? Let’s address the biggest issue first. It's true that the film doesn’t fully confront the problem of racial hatred and the KKK; it avoids a more sensitive topic. While the movie does portray them as cowardly murderers hiding behind masks, even showing them as not very bright followers of a powerful Grand Wizard who cares more about money than race, there is still a trivialization of an important subject. We are the law here. The judges and jury! However, if you accept it on its own terms—as something other than a social commentary piece—it’s a captivating film noir melodrama. Classic elements of film noir are present: bigotry, fate, family problems, and a woman in danger (the situation with her being the outsider is really good), all existing beneath the surface of moral obligation. On top of that, there's plenty of atmosphere. Heisler (Among the Living/The Glass Key) and Guthrie (Backfire/Caged) create dark streets, misty jail cells, and a courtroom scene filled with shadows that reflect the moral conflict in the room. Don’t give me that Halloween routine. Heisler has an eye for imagery as well as technical skill, like scenes of young Klan members or the symbolic falling of a burning cross. He also directs his cast effectively. Don't believe any review that says Rogers is wrong for the part; she isn't—she’s spirited, attractive, and strong, yet vulnerable too; she’s ideal for the role originally intended for Bacall who declined it. And with Day playing a character full of confused innocence that works well, Heisler’s reputation as someone who knows how to direct actresses seems justified. Reagan and Cochran are good, with Cochran showing a side we don't often see from him by moving away from his usual cool demeanor. It doesn’t fully explore the KKK situation as it should, and at times feels like lesser Tennessee Williams. But the filmmakers transform this Southern town into a diseased noir landscape, where the story is well-paced and acted, all building to a truly excellent ending. It's definitely worth watching. 8/10

Source on TMDB