One of a number of films released in 1949 dealing with racial identity, Elia Kazan's Pinky has been noted for its strong performances, its effective sets and its photography. The film broke new ground with a number of harshly realistic episodes - depicting white male harassment of black women, and a more subtle patronizing by white women - but its overall effect was considerably diluted by its compromises. The story concerns a fair-skinned black nurse who returns to her home in the South after having passed as white in Boston and become involved with a white doctor.