In retrospect Richard Brooks‘ career as a film director was pretty dreary beyond Elmer Gantry. But, boy, what a segue that turned out to be! Brooks coerced great performances out of Burt Lancaster and Arthur Kennedy in a brilliant bookend to Capra’s Miracle Woman. Brooks showed some flair for melodrama and Tennessee Williams adaptations during the 1950s and ’60s, but for some reason this liberal filmmaker never gained much traction after the studio system broke down.

1950  Crisis ***
1952  The Light Touch
1952  Deadline U.S.A. ***
1953  Battle Circus ***
1953  Take the High Ground!
1954  Flame and the Flesh
1954  The Last Time I Saw Paris ***
1955  Blackboard Jungle ***1/2
1956  The Last Hunt ***
1956  The Catered Affair ***
1957  Something of Value **1/2
1958  The Brothers Karamazov ***
1958  Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ***1/2
1960  Elmer Gantry ****
1962  Sweet Bird of Youth ***1/2
1965  Lord Jim ***
1966  The Professionals ***
1968  In Cold Blood ***1/2
1969  The Happy Ending
1972  $ (Dollars) **1/2
1975  Bite the Bullet ***
1977  Looking for Mr. Goodbar ***
1981  Wrong Is Right **1/2
1985  Fever Pitch