Crisis is a 1950 drama film about an American couple who become embroiled in a revolution. It was based on the short story "The Doubters" by George Tabori.
Eugene Ferguson (Cary Grant), a renowned American brain surgeon, and his wife Helen (Paula Raymond) are vacationing in Latin America when a revolution breaks out. They are taken against their will to the country's dictator, Raoul Farrago (José Ferrer), who urgently needs a life-saving operation. Over the next few days, while Ferguson trains assistants for the operation, he witnesses various acts of brutality by the regime, especially by Colonel Adragon (Ramón Novarro), but his Hippocratic Oath compels him to do his best.
Roland Gonzales (Gilbert Roland), the rebel leader, kidnaps Helen to pressure her husband into making a fatal surgical "mistake", but his message to Ferguson is intercepted by Isabel Farrago (Signe Hasso), the patient's wife, and the operation is a success. Fortunately for the doctor, Helen is released unharmed when Farrago dies soon afterwards and his government is overthrown.
Crisis is the first film directed by Richard Brooks.
Probably the most "un-Cary Grant-like" movie that Grant ever made, Crisis is a political melodrama Richard Brooks directed with a steady hand on guiding the film as a whole (and he is aided by Ray June's deft cinematography and an exciting and atmospheric Miklos Rozsa score.) Grant is quite good, even if never totally credible in the role, and José Ferrer does his evil villain routine to very good effect. Even better are the Eva Peron-like Signe Hasso and the understated Ramon Novarro.
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