Sunday, July 9, 2017

SPLIT SECOND 1953 (TCM VIEWING)

A great mixture of film noir and sci-fi.

This film was directed by actor Dick Powell, and it's a winner.

Three escaped convicts, Sam Hurley (Stephen McNally), Bart Moore (Paul Kelly) and Dummy (Frank DeKova) steal a car and kidnap several people to hold as hostages in their escape.

They arrive at a ghost town in the Nevada desert that is located in a target area for an atomic blast which is being detonated in the morning.

Bart has been shot so Sam calls the doctor/husband of one of the victims to come and operate or else his wife will die. There is a lot of tension and character interaction as everyone gets more and more tense as the hour of explosion gets closer.

McNally is perfect as Hurley, a man who has such hatred for "heroes" he'll kill any of them and not care. The supporting cast for this noir/sci-fi mix includes Alexis Smith, Jan Sterling, Keith Andes, Arthur Hunnicut, and Richard Egan.

An impressive group of actors who do a damn good job. The ending of the movie has several different twists and turns, a couple that really had me raise my eyebrows. What happens to Hurley and several others at the end is grim and typical of noir.

If you get the chance, check this out, you won't be disappointed.

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