Key Witness (1960)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

Frank Kane (novel)
Alfred Brenner (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

6 October 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime

Tagline:

THE YOUNG PUNKS...and RUBY WHO WAS THEIR GIRL!

Plot:

An average Los Angeles citizen witnesses a gang murder when he stops to use a telephone. Aware that he is the only witness against them...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Jeffrey Hunter	...	Fred Morrow
Pat Crowley	...	Ann Morrow
Dennis Hopper	...	William 'Cowboy' Tomkins
Joby Baker	...	Muggles
Susan Harrison	...	Ruby
Johnny Nash	...	Apple
Corey Allen	...	Magician
Frank Silvera	...	Det. Rafael Torno
Bruce Gordon	...	Arthur Robbins
Terry Burnham	...	Gloria Morrow
Dennis Holmes	...	Phil Morrow
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hilda Haynes	...	Apple's Mother (unconfirmed)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1960) | Sweden:15

Company:

Avon Productions (II)

Quotes:

William 'Cowboy' Tomkins: You got his weeds? Give 'em to him.

Soundtrack:

Leatherjacket Cowboy

Very good film as I remembered seeing it 45 years ago.

Pretty good movie and relative to the times. But It was the song "Ruby Duby Du" that I remember. Its one of those tunes that once it gets into your head you can not stop it. I remember it being played throughout the movie but that was 46 years ago; maybe it was just the play on the radio and of course; bought the 45 as well. It was a hit song at the time. The gang leader's girl was named Ruby. As far as the film, story, itself; I remember the impression that movie gave me was one of helplessness or "how to fight such a terrible gang of young people". After all, its just a dad and his family. This was a movie about young thugs and a family. I could relate to the family but was frightened by the cold heartlessness of the gang. I remember the scene where the gang had entered the family's home and scratched the words "Key Witness" on the roof of their automobile inside the attached garage. That scene, for me, started the scary meanness threaded throughout the rest of the story. And oh yes, "the circle" with the father in the middle and finally one of the gang members went back-to-back with the dad as the movie's second hero. As I recall the daughter kinda liked that boy. Only the "Ruby Duby Du" song helped ease the tenseness for this 11 year old in 1960. I downloaded that song just a couple of years ago. Pretty cool dad...daddy-o.

Al