Considered by William Faulkner to be the best screen adaptation of one of his novels, and considered by many critics to be Sirk's finest film, The Tarnished Angels deals with a reporter's futile attempt to define modern life through a bizarre group of barnstorming pilots. Rock Hudson reputedly disowned the film, feeling there was something "nasty" about it. However, playing a weak man for once, he gives his most credible and sympathetic performance. As for Stack and Malone, their intense acting is the stuff that cults are made of. A film that was shot in the dark, The Tarnished Angels is also an essay on the expressive possibilities of lighting.