Underrated, little-seen melodrama got shelved in the early 1970s after a limited run. Too bad, it gives Robert Mitchum a fantastic role as parolee who served time for killing his wife. The movie follows his release and eventual reconnection with his estranged teenage son, who as a child witnessed his mother's death. Jan-Michael Vincent is very good as the kid with the tangled feelings (curious about his father, but also angry and resentful); Brenda Vaccaro is terrific as a new woman in Mitchum's life (it's possibly Vaccaro's finest hour). The wife's death, seen in flashback, is tastefully handled by director Herbert B. Leonard, who gets some wrenching scenes out of his cast. A low-keyed, affecting gem about conflicted human emotions. ***1/2 from ****