Jeopardy (film)

Infobox Film | name =Jeopardy


caption =Jeopardy movie poster
director = John Sturges
producer = Sol Baer Fielding
writer =Mel Dinelli
Maurice Zimm (story)
starring =Barbara Stanwyck
Barry Sullivan
music = Dimitri Tiomkin
cinematography = Victor Milner
editing =
distributor = Loew's Inc.
released = March 30, 1953 (New York City)
runtime = 69 min.
language = English
budget =
imdb_id = 0045932

"Jeopardy" is a 1953 suspense film directed by John Sturges. The black-and-white film stars Ralph Meeker as an escaped killer. The film was based on a 22 minute radio play, "A Question of Time."

Plot

A family, the Stilwins embark on a vacation into desolate Baja California and a remote, deserted fishing spot along the coast the father used to frequent with his old military buddies. At a roadside barricade heading into the serious Baja outback, they are inspected by police but aren’t told about a deranged killer who has escaped from prison and is at large in the area.

Upon arrival at the secret fishing spot, young Bobby goes exploring out onto a rotting pier. He can’t work his way back, and when Dad attempts to come to his son’s rescue, the pier gives way. Dad isn’t hurt, but a piling falls on his leg and traps him on the beach just as the tide is coming in. The Stilwins quickly determine that if Pop isn’t freed within a few hours, he will drown in the rising surf. All attempts to move the log are futile and wife Helen takes the car to get help. However, an escaped criminal kidnaps her. Can the woman get back to her husband before he drowns in the surf?

Reaction

Writer Spencer Selby calls "Jeopardy" a "taut thiller which takes woman-in-distress concept to one of the most frenzied extremes."ref|book1

Trivia

Award-winning cinematographer Victor Milner, in addition to lensing the film, also has a bit part in the movie.

Featured cast

References

#cite book | author=Spencer Selby | title=Dark City: The Film Noir | publisher =McFarland Classic | year=1984 | id=ISBN 0-7864-0478-7