A Life at Stake (1954)

Director:

Paul Guilfoyle

Writers:

Russ Bender (screenplay)
Hank McCune (story)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

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

Plot:

An out-of-work architect meets a married woman who has a business proposition for him. The architect begins to suspect the woman's interest in him is not just financial and may actually be deadly. |

Plot Keywords:

Ambulance | Failed Brakes | California | Gun | Typewriter

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

Directed by
Paul Guilfoyle

Writing credits
Russ Bender		(screenplay)
Hank McCune		(story idea)

Produced by
A.C. Burger	....	associate producer
Charles Maxwell	....	executive producer
Hank McCune	....	producer

Original Music by
Les Baxter		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ted Allan		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Frank Sullivan

Makeup Department
Hazel Keithley	....	hair stylist
Bob Mark	....	makeup artist (as Robert Mark)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marvin Stuart	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robert Haver	....	set designer

Sound Department
Stanford Houghton	....	sound (as Stanford Haughton)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Beckett	....	lighting

Music Department
Les Baxter	....	musical director

Other crew
Maury Dexter	....	dialogue supervisor
William E. Orr	....	script supervisor (as William Orr)

Production Companies

• Hank McCune Productions

Distributors

• Gibraltar Motion Picture Distributors Inc. (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Filmakers, The (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hollywood's Best (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Hollywood's Best (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Better Television Distribution (2006) (worldwide) (TV)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Critics' Choice Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Oktoberfest Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Key Man" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Hank McCune Productions

Quotes:

Lt. Hoff:Now, where can I get in touch with you?
Edward Shaw:Rap twice on my coffin.

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.