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Suddenly (1954)

UNRATED 75 min  -  Crime | Drama | Film-Noir  -   September 1954 (USA)
6.9
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Ratings: 6.9/10 from 2,523 users  
Reviews: 65 user | 14 critic

In the city of Suddenly, three gangsters trap the Benson family in their own house, on the top of a hill nearby the railroad station, with the intention of killing the president of the USA.

Director:

Lewis Allen

Writer:

Richard Sale (written for the screen by)
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Frank Sinatra ...
John Baron
Sterling Hayden ...
Sheriff Tod Shaw
James Gleason James Gleason ...
Pop Benson
Nancy Gates Nancy Gates ...
Ellen Benson
Kim Charney Kim Charney ...
Peter Benson III - 'Pidge'
Willis Bouchey Willis Bouchey ...
Dan Carney
Paul Frees Paul Frees ...
Benny Conklin
Christopher Dark Christopher Dark ...
Bart Wheeler
James O'Hara James O'Hara ...
Jud Hobson (as James Lilburn)
Kem Dibbs Kem Dibbs ...
Wilson (as Ken Dibbs)
Clark Howat Clark Howat ...
Haggerty
Charles Smith Charles Smith ...
Bebop
Paul Wexler Paul Wexler ...
Slim Adams
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Storyline

The tranquility of a small town is marred only by sheriff Tod Shaw's unsuccessful courtship of widow Ellen Benson, a pacifist who can't abide guns and those who use them. But violence descends on Ellen's household willy-nilly when the U.S. President passes through town... and slightly psycho hired assassin John Baron finds the Benson home ideal for an ambush. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Train | Gun | Widow | Small Town | U.S. President  | See more »

Taglines:

A cold-blooded thriller! See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Romance | Thriller

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Der Attentäter See more »

Box Office

Gross:

$1,400,000 (USA)
See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Libra Productions Inc. See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

After the film was withdrawn from circulation, there was a failure to renew the copyright and it fell into the public domain. As a result, in the early years of home video, the film became widely available from a number of discount/public domain labels See more »

Goofs

Continuity: As seen from the train depot, the house where the assassins are hiding is way up on a hill, well back from and high above the station. But as seen in shots looking down at the depot from the window in the house, the depot is only slightly higher than the house, and so close as to be almost next to it. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
First Driver: Officer, can you tell me the way to Three Rivers?
Slim Adams: About two miles to the first main intersection, then turn left. It's about sixty miles.
First Driver: Thanks, what town is this?
Slim Adams: Suddenly.
First Driver: Suddenly what?
Slim Adams: No no, that's the name.
First Driver: [laughs] That's a funny name for a town.
Slim Adams: Uh huh, hangover from the old days; that's the way things used to happen here, suddenly.
First Driver: I see.
[...]
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Connections

References Beachhead (1954) See more »