CindyKern9 Excellent 82 minute story which plots justice, morality and law against a small community's mayor whose "accounting methods" (during a very distressed economically period) become questioned by a mock Grand Jury proceeding held by studying local Law Students.Particular note was a very enjoyable ending which ultimately leaves the viewers to decide where their boundaries of law, justice and morality would reside if tasked with leading a community through a period of economically induced suffrage.For this viewer "Handle with Care" was an elegant (Thomas Mitchell) depiction of a conundrum.

deschreiber This is a very interesting idea for a movie, but here's it's been done in a pretty hokey way, with amateurish writing and some weak acting. A decent scriptwriter, backed up by serious talent in the acting and directing departments, could make an excellent movie of it. There's the sense of unravelling a mystery, the young generation against the older, the whiff of corruption in a picture-perfect town, and a climactic scene that the audience has been waiting for all along. I wasn't particularly surprised at the ending here, since it could have gone in only one of two ways, but a more creative approach could cap everything off in a more interesting way.

vincentlynch-moonoi !!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!! There are many fine character actors, particularly from the glory days of the Hollywood studio dynasties. But beyond the many fine character actors are a few who are deservedly legendary. Thomas Mitchell is in that league. Whether he was the father of Scarlett O'Hara, or the failed banker Uncle Billy of "It's A Wonderful Life", or the just-a-bit crooked chap in "Lost Horizon", Mitchell stood out in just about any film he appeared in...and that was quite a few. And, Mitchell was the first actor to win the holy trinity of acting -- an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony. Mitchell had turned mostly to television in the early 1950s, so this was one of his last film roles, and although he continued working for 3 more years in both television and a few films, his performance here would have been a fitting conclusion to his career. His performance is simply brilliant, and far more nuanced than many of the roles he typically played.Here, Mitchell is the mayor of a small town who agrees to take part in a mock grand jury for the local law school, unaware that there is one student -- Dean Jones -- who is out to prove himself. Jones digs up a potential scandal and malfeasance. Things began to spiral out of control as the beloved mayor looks like he is guilty of something very serious.Of course, you kinda know that Dean Jones (who is very good here, although occasionally borders on a youthful intensity that almost spills over into over-acting) is going to learn a hard lesson before the film is over...although just what the lesson is going to be remains a mystery for most of the film. However, unlike some films where something convenient is just pulled out of a hat at just the right time, this mystery is totally logical -- the mayor wrote fake tax receipts for farmers who would have otherwise lost their homes during the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. Ultimately, all of the money was paid back to the town coffers, but still, a law had been broken.There are also some good, solid (though not outstanding) performances by other character actors here, most of whom you'll recognize as soon as you see them: John Smith, Walter Abel, Anne Seymour, Royal Dano, and Ted de Corsia.Is this a great film? No. But it's far better than a lot of big-name pics, and well worth your time.

harry-76 It plays like a Playhouse 90 tv drama: relatively short on 82 minutes, black and white, with economy script and production values.Nothing to attract much attention here, except when one notices the name of Thomas Mitchell in the cast. Seldom did this legendary character actor appear in something that wasn't worth watching.In this case, he's Williston, Mayor of a small town, being "investigated" by a collegiate mock court, undergoing their final exams. He willingly cooperates, until the court's "D.A." begins to uncover something unbalanced in tax books back in '32 and '33.How far to go in pursuing this investigation of a now-beloved, long-term Mayor? It's Dean Jones, cast in the "D.A." role of Zach Davis, who must decide.The whole town to a fault loves the Mayor and turns against Zach, when word about the investigation leaks out. It's Zach who must choose to go "all the way" or not.A constantly interesting story, with some nice character and plot turns transpire. Also the philosophical question of whether unyielding factual truth must be pursued and exposed, no matter what the circumstances. Is there only one right and one wrong, or are there some shades of gray?Jones is fine as the idealistic student lawyer, Walter Abel is strong as Jones' law teacher, Prof. Bowdin, and Mitchell is wonderful, as always, as Mayor Williston.How nice to have this little mid-50s drama (made by MGM, probably on its B-budget backlot) preserved and shown on the AMC channel. I'd say it accurately represents the quality of many such small-budget productions of that period, which is to say, it's nicely scripted, well acted, and thought provoking.