Jeopardy (1953)

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Mel Dinelli (screenplay)
Maurice Zimm (story)

Release Date:

31 July 1953 (France)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

"I'll do anything...to save my husband!"

Plot:

A man vacationing with his wife and son near a desolate jetty in Baja becomes trapped under a rotten timber as the inevitable tide threatens to drown him.

Plot Keywords:

Beach | Mexico | Tide | Jetty | Pier

Cast

Barbara Stanwyck	...	Helen Stilwin
Barry Sullivan	...	Doug Stilwin
Ralph Meeker	...	Lawson
Lee Aaker	...	Bobby Stilwin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rico Alaniz	...	Officer at 1st Roadblock (uncredited)
Salvador Baguez	...	Officer at 1st Roadblock (uncredited)
Bob Castro	...	Police Machine Gunner (uncredited)
Carlos Conde	...	Tijuana Vendor (uncredited)
George L. Derrick	...	Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Paul Fierro	...	Mexican Lieutenant (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	Captain's Driver Talking to Helen (uncredited)
Margarita Martín	...	Mexican Mother (uncredited)
Victor Milner	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Alex Montoya	...	Officer with Walkie-Talkie at 2nd Barricade (uncredited)
George Navarro	...	Tijuana Vendor (uncredited)
Charles Stevens	...	Mexican Father (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	...	Officer at 2nd Barricade (uncredited)
Louis Tomei	...	Officer at 2nd Barricade (uncredited)
Juan Torena	...	Mexican Police Chief (uncredited)
Felipe Turich	...	Mexican Border Official (uncredited)
Natividad Vacío	...	Persistent Tijuana Vendor (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	...	Lieutenant's Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
John Sturges

Writing credits
Mel Dinelli		(screenplay)
Maurice Zimm		(story)

Produced by
Sol Baer Fielding	....	producer
Charles Schnee	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Victor Milner		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Newell P. Kimlin

Art Direction by
William Ferrari
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Fred M. MacLean		(as Fred MacLean)
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Frank Delmar		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist
Pat McNalley	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Helene Parrish	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Dave Friedman	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joel Freeman	....	assistant director
Jack Aldworth	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor
Newt Woltz	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	special effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Rose	....	costume designer: Miss Stanwyck
Frank Delmar	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	conductor
Manuel Emanuel	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
William J. Hole Jr.	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (USA) (theatrical) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1954) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1954) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"A Woman in Jeopardy" - USA (promotional title)

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #16100) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | West Germany:12 (f)

Filming Locations:

Pioneertown, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 15, 1954 with Barbara Stanwyck and Barry Sullivan reprising their film roles.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Also when Bobby is holding the coffee pot he is holding the bottom of the hot pot with his hand.

Quotes:

Helen Stilwin:That's good perfume you got on yuh.
Lawson, the Fugitive:Yes.
Helen Stilwin:I like cheap perfume. It doesn't last as long, but it hits harder.

Soundtrack:

Cielito Lindo

Tense Drama

Jeopardy (1953)

*** (out of 4)

John Sturges directed this intense thriller about a wife (Barbara Stanwyck) and husband (Barry Sullivan) who take their son on a vacation to Mexico so that they can go fishing but an accident happens and the husband gets his leg caught under a log. With the tide coming in, the wife has to try and get help before it's too late but she gets kidnapped by an escaped murderer (Ralph Meeker). This film seems to get mixed reviews and while it's not classic Sturges I still felt there was enough suspense packed in the 67-minute running time to make the film highly enjoyable. I've never found Stanwyck to be sexy so that takes away from some of her roles for me but she's terrific when playing it tough and that's the case here. She's really good in the tough role and Meeker is the perfect snake to go against her. Sullivan is also very good in his moments with his son played by Lee Aaker. There are a few flaws throughout the film and the ending is pretty weak but there's still plenty to enjoy here. The score by Dimitri Tiomkin also adds to the suspense.