A Life at Stake (1954)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Paul Guilfoyle

Writers:

Russ Bender (screenplay)
Hank McCune (story)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A Cheat At Heart From Her Painted Toes To Her Plunging Neckline!

Plot:

After a married woman has had an illicit affair, mysterious accidents began happening to her husband. |

Plot Keywords:

Insurance

Cast

Angela Lansbury	...	Doris Hillman
Keith Andes	...	Edward Shaw
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Gus Hillman
Claudia Barrett	...	Madge Neilan
Jane Darwell	...	Landlady
Gavin Gordon	...	Sam Pearson
Charles Maxwell	...	Lt. Hoff
William Henry	...	Myles Norman
Kathleen Mulqueen	...	Mary
Dan Sturkie	...	Officer Biff
Jeane Wood	...	Mabel, the maid
Robert Haver	...	Mechanic

Also Known As:

Key Man (USA)

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Hank McCune Productions

Soundtrack:

Summer Interlude

Characters are Contrived

First throw in a character who is rather dull and afraid. Make him an architect who can produce nice little fifties houses that will sell. Hook him up with a millionaire who wants a 175,000 dollar life insurance policy on the guy's head in case he can't fulfill his commitment. Throw in a bored wife; or is she? Throw in police who have no respect for a dignified man who is concerned he is going to be killed. Remember, it happened before and insurance money was involved. Oh, yes, then there's the insurance company, which should be watching things like the respective hawks they are, since they got soaked the first time. Also, have everyone act stupidly, not able to figure things out. This is one contrived thriller. I'm not sure where Lansbury is in the picture. The guy should have dumped her early on. She is vapid and tiresome. She's reasonably attractive, but has more baggage than Northwest Airlines. Oh, well, it isn't Shakespeare and it does keep us guessing, sort of.