Let me start off by saying that this film though not currently on DVD, should be.

The Well came out in the year 1951, a time when relations between the races were not quite the same as they are today. Keep that in mind.
As it begins we see a cute little black girl skipping through a meadow picking flowers when all of a sudden she drops out the bottom of the screen. She has fallen into an old well. In the next scene we see the little girls mother frantic with worry. She has called in the police (whom are all white). During the policeman's investigation it is discovered that the little girl was last seen talking to a white man who bought her some flowers at the local flower shop. When word of this gets out, an escalating war between the races begins. Until they learn that the girl had fallen into a well.

This film belongs with To Kill A Mockingbird in it's frank portrayal of race relations and the psychology of mob violence.
Unfortunatly it seems to be mostly forgotten today and that's a shame.

rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The film is available on VHS from most of the major online video stores.