I don't know how movie goers in the Fifties reacted to this film, but viewing it today makes the events in the story seem pretty preposterous. Not that it didn't have it's moments of psychological drama and tense confrontation, but it seems to me that Dan Hilliard (Fredric March) and daughter Cindy (Mary Murphy) had way too much freedom to go about their normal routines without attempting to reach out for help. Granted there was the element of danger to the remaining family members, but the do nothing approach of playing along with gangster Glenn Griffin (Humphrey Bogart) and his cohorts wore thin on me as the story unfolded. Back that up with all of the unsupervised time that Ellie (Martha Scott) and son Ralph seemed to have, it just left me wondering why they didn't take advantage of all the windows and doors in their large suburban home.
As an experienced con, Griffin didn't seem to have that much control over brother Hal (Dewey Martin) and the big lug Kobish (Robert Middleton). That was most evident in the back to back scenarios where each refused to give up his gun to the boss. Allowing Hal to leave was another tactical mistake, at least he could have left his weapon. For all his macho bravado, Griffin wasn't thinking very clearly.
Even boyfriend Chuck managed to bother me; why take the hard line stance with the Feds when they're about to break the case? Getting to the Hilliard home before even one police car arrived also seemed to defy credibility.
Credit Fredric March for rising above the source material to provide a reasonably compelling performance as the put upon Ward Cleaver stand in. Now there's a thought - with the film shot using the same exterior set as the one used in "Leave It To Beaver", wouldn't it have been great to see the Beav put one over on the Griffin's and Kobish?
OK, I seem to be getting unduly harsh on "The Desperate Hours". I guess the best way to view the film is to tuck away the criticism and get caught up in the flow of the story. In his last gangster turn, Bogey's still credible as a movie tough guy, and wired about as hair trigger as Duke Mantee, Baby Face Martin and Mad Dog Earle. This was the only time he and March appeared in a film with each other, and their scenes together are stand out.
As an experienced con, Griffin didn't seem to have that much control over brother Hal (Dewey Martin) and the big lug Kobish (Robert Middleton). That was most evident in the back to back scenarios where each refused to give up his gun to the boss. Allowing Hal to leave was another tactical mistake, at least he could have left his weapon. For all his macho bravado, Griffin wasn't thinking very clearly.
Even boyfriend Chuck managed to bother me; why take the hard line stance with the Feds when they're about to break the case? Getting to the Hilliard home before even one police car arrived also seemed to defy credibility.
Credit Fredric March for rising above the source material to provide a reasonably compelling performance as the put upon Ward Cleaver stand in. Now there's a thought - with the film shot using the same exterior set as the one used in "Leave It To Beaver", wouldn't it have been great to see the Beav put one over on the Griffin's and Kobish?
OK, I seem to be getting unduly harsh on "The Desperate Hours". I guess the best way to view the film is to tuck away the criticism and get caught up in the flow of the story. In his last gangster turn, Bogey's still credible as a movie tough guy, and wired about as hair trigger as Duke Mantee, Baby Face Martin and Mad Dog Earle. This was the only time he and March appeared in a film with each other, and their scenes together are stand out.