Stellead
Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful
Guillelmina
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Rexanne
It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny
jacobs-greenwood
Jim Molner (James Mason) owns an electronics store and was duped into making a couple of small detonators for Paul Hoplin (Rod Steiger), a former Army demolitions expert. Hoplin told Molner they were for the military, but filled them with an explosive element second only to plutonium and had them planted on an airplane by Eileen Kelly (Angie Dickinson).We find out these details, in part through the FBI's investigation after the plane makes an emergency landing and the bombs are neutralized. A call was made which tipped off the head of Twentieth Century Airlines before they were to explode. The FBI task force, headed by Frank Cole (Kenneth Tobey), quickly determines that the detonators were made by Molner, and suspects he is the one who is trying to extort $500,000 else he'll actually blow up a plane this time.However, Molner, his wife Joan (Inger Stevens), and their preschool daughter have been kidnapped by Hoplin and his associates which, in addition to Kelly, consists of Vince (Jack Klugman) and Steve (Neville Brand). They've taken the Molners to a secluded home in which Hoplin tells Molner that his wife will be the bag lady for the ransom else they'll kill his daughter. A game of chicken between the Molners and Hoplin changes the plan slightly; Molner is allowed to go with his daughter, Kelly & Vince to another location while his wife will stay with have to stay alone with Steve for some periods of time.It turns out Steve is somewhat unstable and was in prison for raping and/or killing a woman. This makes the moments when Steve is alone with Joan a little dicey. The first time it happens, Hoplin returns in time to prevent Joan from suffering Steve's previous victim's fate. Molner and his daughter are taken by Vince & Kelly to her penthouse apartment, where Kelly has promised to stick a shiv (a very sharp knife) through his daughter's belly if his wife is not successful.Joan is given a complex set of instructions to follow, the first of which are to go to the bank where the FBI task force has assembled to compile the money. She tells them about the kidnapping and, though they're not 100% sure that she's telling them the truth, they give her the money and send her on her way without tailing her. Her next instructions are designed to throw off anyone who may follow her. But if she doesn't arrive at the (now) third house where Hoplin and Steve are waiting by 1:30 PM, Vince & Kelly will get a call to dispose of Molner & his daughter. Of course, she makes an error, which after she corrects it puts her chances of getting to the house on time in jeopardy.Unfortunately, what was a fairly taught and interesting story turns into something with very little credibility at this point. If you thought the FBI's finding out that the original detonators were made by Molner was impossibly fast, "you ain't seen nothing' yet". Plus, Molner is left alone in the loft of Kelly's apartment, with his conveniently asleep daughter, and enough time and freedom of movement to figure out a plan of action (which in the end, didn't accomplish anything anyway). This is AFTER Hoplin already has the money, more alone time between Steve and Joan with improbable consequences, and yet another meaningless location change. I'm afraid my intelligence was insulted just a few two many times for me to recommend this film.
dougdoepke
One look at a lustful Neville Brand (Steve) in heat darn near sent me under the bed. He's high on Bennies and it's a cowering Joan (Stevens) who's going to pay, except maybe she's got a surprise for the plug-ugly thug. In a movie filled with tense situations, this may be the scariest. Anyway, if it's not a woman menaced by a nutcase, it's Joan driving in traffic to meet a deadline, or her hubby (Mason) clambering around an elevator shaft, or both Dad and Mom keeping a nasty extortion gang from taking their toddler. If anything, there may be too many of these sweaty palms to keep up the effect. Whatever the case, this may be first film of the '50's to utter the word 'rape'.The plot's a version of a '50's favorite, the home invasion, where an unwary American family is suddenly under attack inside the apparent safety of the home. It's also likely a reflection for the movies of a growing suburban audience. Here the invasion is part of a complex plan to extort money from an airline under threat of an airliner bomb. Of course, that brings in the feds and a lot of police procedure, while we hang in there with the little family under siege.It's an unusually fine cast, with Brand as the standout, at least in my little book. Also, check out the fetching Angie Dickinson as a sadistic gang moll—real casting against type. There's also the tragic Inger Stevens showing her fine acting chops, along with a rather restrained Rod Steiger as the gang mastermind. It's all put together by the Stones, husband and wife, noted for their documentary style and dedication to location filming, from which the story gains helpful credibility.All in all, the movie's a 90-minute exercise in relentless tension that seems ironically topical, given how thorough bomb detection is now fifty-years later.(In passing—I expect the movie's premise was inspired by the real life case of John Gilbert Graham. In 1955, he blew up an airliner over Colorado for insurance money on his mother, of all people, killing 44 passengers in the process. Needless to say for the law and order 1950's, he was swiftly executed. But perhaps most interesting for our day is that there was no federal law at the time covering bombs aboard airliners—apparently the possibility seemed too remote! As a result, Graham was tried and convicted under a different statute. Yes indeed, how times have changed.)
whpratt1
This film classic of 1958 depicts all the superstars of the silver screen very young, Angie Dickinson (Eileen Kelly)"Dressed to Kill"'80 is very hard to recognize, however, her sexual charm is always present in this film. Ingar Stevens(Mrs.John Molner)"The Farmers Daughter"'63 TV Series, was very young and beautiful as James Mason's(John Molner)"Lolita"'62 wife, Ingar Stevens was an unappreciated actress and unfortunately took her own life in 1970 at the very height of her career. Rod Steiger(Paul Hoplin)"No Way to Treat A Lady"'68 played the role of a mastermind with a fool proof way of making a half a million dollars by kidnapping Mr. & Mrs. Molner and their daughter. The black & white photography of NYC made this picture a real classic film for many future generations to enjoy and the wonderful talent of these great SUPERSTARS! Be sure to view it the next time it is on TV.
Sleepy-17
Fairly grisly for the 50's, with the subjects of rape, child-killing and mass murder right out in the open. One of the greatest casts ever: James Mason, Rod Steiger, Inger Stevens, Angie Dickenson, Neville Brand, Jack Klugman! Wow! Exciting scenes of NY streets as Inger takes the ransom money to Steiger. Some of the other scenes are duds (the elevator shaft did nothing for me), but many are electric, and the generic evil generated by over half the cast takes up the slack.
