The Well, was a 1951 movie that tackled the issues of collective behavior and racial tensions. The film centers on a five-year-old black girl, Carolyn who falls into a well. While walking to school, Carolyn stops to pick flowers. She does not the see the big hole in the ground because it is covered by tall weeds and grass and falls into the well.

Once her parents discover that Carolyn is missing, they seek help from the local sheriff. Rumors spread quickly that a stranger and a white man, Claude Packard, must have done something to the young black girl. The community is quickly turned upside down with anger and confusion.

Sam Packard, a well-known local businessman, who attempts to use his influence to get his nephew out of police custody. This inflames the racial tension further, and when he is approached by Carolyn’s relatives outside the police station, he suffers a heart attack, which is reported among the white population as a racial attack. Things quickly get out of hand and the black and white townspeople began attacking one another.

Before things get too far out of control, young Carolyn is discovered in alive in the well. However, she can be easily extracted. It takes the townspeople coming together with the help of accused Claude Packard, to safely rescue her.

sources:

https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/53432

https://www.allmovie.com/movie/v53815