TENDER MERCY

by Lenard Kaufman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 18, 1949

If in a less clouded treatment than The Lower Part of the Sky, this is again an exploitation of the brutal, the pathological and the sensual, and tells of the victimization of the Ballards, parents of a hopeless idiot of 20, by the husband of the girl who has cared for him. Recognizing that Elizabeth alone can gentle Aaron- who is violent when he isn't drooling- Ballard accedes to the blackmail of Elizabeth's husband, Rudy, who threatens them with Elizabeth's departure. Elizabeth, although devoted to the Ballards and her charge, cannot intervene- so strong are her physical feelings for Rudy. When realizing that Rudy intends to take all he has, Ballard finally gets rid of them both, and it is his wife who performs the mercy killing of their son... All of this seems pretty quixotic- leaving some question just as to who should have been institutionalized to start with.

Pub Date: Feb. 18, 1949

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Creative Age

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1949

Categories: FICTION