Actor & director Mark Stevens of "Cry Vengeance" plays Charlie Norman, a conventional, suit & tie insurance investigator in "Time Table," a polished but flawed 'perfect crime' thriller. The caper concerns a slick gang of criminals that rob a train and try to live happily ever after with half-a-million dollars in hot money. After this apparently flawless robbery occurs, company executive Sam Hendrix (Raymond Bailey of "The Line Up") contacts his best investigator and persuades Charlie to delay his vacation to Mexico with his wife Ruth until the loot can be recovered. Charlie teams up with another veteran detective Joe Armstrong (King Calder of "The Rains of Ranchipur") who doesn't believe in the concept of the 'perfect crime,' and they embark on their search for clues.
Whoever planned the crime knew what they were doing when they had the train's conductor summon a physician to attend to a sick passenger. Urbane physician Dr. Paul Brucker (Wesley Addy of "Kiss Me Deadly") explains that he must have his medical bag stashed away in the baggage car where three capable guys—a guard and two baggage handlers--keep track of everything. Once they had over his bag, Brucker opens it, brandishes a snub-nosed revolver from it, taking them by complete surprise, and instructs the men to lay prone on the floor of the railway coach. Plunging a hypodermic needle into each of them, he administers a knock-out drug that eliminates them as obstacles to his efforts. Afterward, he blows the safe with shaped charges and hides the money in an inconspicuous piece of luggage. Earlier, Brucker informed the conductor that the man that he has examined is violently ill and that they must get him off the train. The conductor calls an ambulance, and the train makes an unscheduled stop. Brucker, his patient, and the patient's wife Linda Alvarez (Felicia Farr of "Charley Varrick"), get off the train and vanish into the night. Eventually, the three guys rendered unconscious in the baggage coach recover from the effects of the narcotic and notify the authorities. By this time, the robbers have disappeared without a trace. Charlie and Joe talk to the train employees in Phoenix and the local sheriff in the nearly town of Winslow, but they have little to offer them. Our investigators are completely baffled. Nevertheless, Joe is convinced that the criminals will make a mistake. Charlie isn't as optimistic as his cynical partner.
Thirty minutes into this clever, fast-paced, 80 minute crime epic, "Time Table" delivers its most devastating surprise. We learn that good guy Charlie Norman masterminded the crime! Although everybody got away from the train, the dominoes of bad luck start to topple one after another as the authorities close in on the criminals. The patient that Brucker removed from the train accidentally shoots him during the getaway. Mind you, none of this is depicted, but it is revealed through expository dialogue. Despite Brucker's efforts to save him, the man dies. Later, the authorities arrest the ambulance driver, Frankie Paige (Jack Klugman, later of "Quincy" fame), with his cut of the loot on him. Paige knows next to nothing about the details of the crime. Eventually, the authorities learn how the criminals got away after ditching the ambulance. They used a helicopter that had been reported stolen months before the robbery by airplane rental agent Al Wolfe (Alan Reed of "Breakfast at Tiffany's"), who sweats it out himself when the authorities bring him in for Frankie to identify. Frankie doesn't recognize Wolfe.
Meantime, when he isn't coordinating the investigation with Joe, Charlie tracks down his number one accomplice Brucker. As it turns out, Brucker is a former surgeon who tried to file a bogus insurance claim, and Charlie caught him. Instead of turning him in for fraud, Charlie hires Brucker to collaborate in his complicated scheme. Unfortunately, Brucker refuses to obey Charlie's orders, and he is nabbed at the Mexican border and killed. Brucker's wife Linda eludes the authorities. Joe informs Charlie that he will get his long sought-after vacation but he won't have to pay for it since the trail of evidence leads them to Tijuana. By this time, Charlie begins to lose his nerve, and his wife Ruth (Marianne Stewart), learns the truth that he no longer loves her. Before Brucker left for Mexico, the alcoholic former doctor entrusted the money to Charlie. Charlie left the luggage with Ruth. Curious Ruth broke into the luggage and discovered the loot. In a futile effort to salvage their marriage, she sent the money in an anonymous envelop to the authorities. Now, Charlie is clearly rattled. Earlier, he had cornered Wolfe in a hotel room and killed him to keep the airplane rental agent from breaking down and spilling the beans.
When Stevens produced "Time Table," the Production Code Administration monitored and controlled the content of the Hollywood studios. This meant that criminals could not succeed in any of their unlawful endeavors, so once we know who planned the scheme, the fate of Charlie and his accomplices are sealed. Charlie cannot turn himself in because he panicked and murdered Wolfe. Later, when he tries to escape from Joe and the police in Tijuana, Charlie cannot and he must pay for his crime. The best things about "Time Table" are its fast-paced action and the big reveal at the half-hour mark. Afterward, it is a foregone conclusion that Charlie is doomed. Unfortunately, Charlie loses his cool and comes unglued far too early. Altogether, "Time Table" qualifies a gripping yarn with good performances and strong pacing reminiscent of director Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity."
Whoever planned the crime knew what they were doing when they had the train's conductor summon a physician to attend to a sick passenger. Urbane physician Dr. Paul Brucker (Wesley Addy of "Kiss Me Deadly") explains that he must have his medical bag stashed away in the baggage car where three capable guys—a guard and two baggage handlers--keep track of everything. Once they had over his bag, Brucker opens it, brandishes a snub-nosed revolver from it, taking them by complete surprise, and instructs the men to lay prone on the floor of the railway coach. Plunging a hypodermic needle into each of them, he administers a knock-out drug that eliminates them as obstacles to his efforts. Afterward, he blows the safe with shaped charges and hides the money in an inconspicuous piece of luggage. Earlier, Brucker informed the conductor that the man that he has examined is violently ill and that they must get him off the train. The conductor calls an ambulance, and the train makes an unscheduled stop. Brucker, his patient, and the patient's wife Linda Alvarez (Felicia Farr of "Charley Varrick"), get off the train and vanish into the night. Eventually, the three guys rendered unconscious in the baggage coach recover from the effects of the narcotic and notify the authorities. By this time, the robbers have disappeared without a trace. Charlie and Joe talk to the train employees in Phoenix and the local sheriff in the nearly town of Winslow, but they have little to offer them. Our investigators are completely baffled. Nevertheless, Joe is convinced that the criminals will make a mistake. Charlie isn't as optimistic as his cynical partner.
Thirty minutes into this clever, fast-paced, 80 minute crime epic, "Time Table" delivers its most devastating surprise. We learn that good guy Charlie Norman masterminded the crime! Although everybody got away from the train, the dominoes of bad luck start to topple one after another as the authorities close in on the criminals. The patient that Brucker removed from the train accidentally shoots him during the getaway. Mind you, none of this is depicted, but it is revealed through expository dialogue. Despite Brucker's efforts to save him, the man dies. Later, the authorities arrest the ambulance driver, Frankie Paige (Jack Klugman, later of "Quincy" fame), with his cut of the loot on him. Paige knows next to nothing about the details of the crime. Eventually, the authorities learn how the criminals got away after ditching the ambulance. They used a helicopter that had been reported stolen months before the robbery by airplane rental agent Al Wolfe (Alan Reed of "Breakfast at Tiffany's"), who sweats it out himself when the authorities bring him in for Frankie to identify. Frankie doesn't recognize Wolfe.
Meantime, when he isn't coordinating the investigation with Joe, Charlie tracks down his number one accomplice Brucker. As it turns out, Brucker is a former surgeon who tried to file a bogus insurance claim, and Charlie caught him. Instead of turning him in for fraud, Charlie hires Brucker to collaborate in his complicated scheme. Unfortunately, Brucker refuses to obey Charlie's orders, and he is nabbed at the Mexican border and killed. Brucker's wife Linda eludes the authorities. Joe informs Charlie that he will get his long sought-after vacation but he won't have to pay for it since the trail of evidence leads them to Tijuana. By this time, Charlie begins to lose his nerve, and his wife Ruth (Marianne Stewart), learns the truth that he no longer loves her. Before Brucker left for Mexico, the alcoholic former doctor entrusted the money to Charlie. Charlie left the luggage with Ruth. Curious Ruth broke into the luggage and discovered the loot. In a futile effort to salvage their marriage, she sent the money in an anonymous envelop to the authorities. Now, Charlie is clearly rattled. Earlier, he had cornered Wolfe in a hotel room and killed him to keep the airplane rental agent from breaking down and spilling the beans.
When Stevens produced "Time Table," the Production Code Administration monitored and controlled the content of the Hollywood studios. This meant that criminals could not succeed in any of their unlawful endeavors, so once we know who planned the scheme, the fate of Charlie and his accomplices are sealed. Charlie cannot turn himself in because he panicked and murdered Wolfe. Later, when he tries to escape from Joe and the police in Tijuana, Charlie cannot and he must pay for his crime. The best things about "Time Table" are its fast-paced action and the big reveal at the half-hour mark. Afterward, it is a foregone conclusion that Charlie is doomed. Unfortunately, Charlie loses his cool and comes unglued far too early. Altogether, "Time Table" qualifies a gripping yarn with good performances and strong pacing reminiscent of director Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity."