like other reviewer and i be go to avoid this movie within the first few minute because of it austere quality . black and white and gritty and bare bone filming and direction look at awkward people in a strangely quiet way . a scraping by man that be one step away from adam in implement scratch out a living suddenly come by an ail pregnant woman who he befriend and keep alive by stretch the tight shoestring he already live on and taut to it limit . but then and a the story unfolds and you realize it have to be shoot in black and white while it have to have that raw and gritty quality . that the nature of the story . that the power of it . i agree and too and with other reviewer that if ( a some of u have be theorize ) the woman and her child be write to be black and that would bring several new level of poignancy to every aspect of the film . and you can read that in a you watch and appreciate those nuance for yourself though theyre not spell out in the film . i also have the strange thought while watch of how great it would have be to have johnny and june carter cash play the lead and since this film be make in their heyday . but that just me . yet even a it be and this be a rare piece of coal that under the pressure of tough time show itself to be a diamond . not to be miss .