By Darren Allison
I really didn’t know too much about Paul Guilfoyle’s 1955 film, A Life at Stake, although I have always had a fondness for stark film noir. Spoiled young Doris Hillman (played by the delightful Angela Lansbury) invites struggling architect Edward Shaw (Keith Andes) to come in as her husband's partner in a lucrative real estate deal. However, when Edward becomes romantically involved with Doris, he learns that something deadly is going on. There's a life at stake, and it could be his own.
As we progress deeper into the story immediate parallels begin to emerge such as Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity (1944). However, it’s evident that A Life at Stake wasn’t afforded the same budgetary benefits as Wilder’s classic movie. That said, A Life at Stake is a brilliant slice of entertainment which is more than capable of standing on its own two feet.
I really didn’t know too much about Paul Guilfoyle’s 1955 film, A Life at Stake, although I have always had a fondness for stark film noir. Spoiled young Doris Hillman (played by the delightful Angela Lansbury) invites struggling architect Edward Shaw (Keith Andes) to come in as her husband's partner in a lucrative real estate deal. However, when Edward becomes romantically involved with Doris, he learns that something deadly is going on. There's a life at stake, and it could be his own.
As we progress deeper into the story immediate parallels begin to emerge such as Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity (1944). However, it’s evident that A Life at Stake wasn’t afforded the same budgetary benefits as Wilder’s classic movie. That said, A Life at Stake is a brilliant slice of entertainment which is more than capable of standing on its own two feet.
- 11/4/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
A Life at Stake
Written by Russ Bender, Hank McCune
Directed Paul Guilfoyle
U.S.A., 1954
Edward Shaw (Keith Andes) spends most of his days lumped on his chair, staring out the window from his cramped little apartment room. A scorned man, he was once a star on the rise in the real estate business, that is, until a former partner swindled him. An embittered and stubbornly honest man, Edward’s hope at redemption and to improve his name in the business arrives one morning when a lawyer presents him the opportunity to pay back his debts and make new headways in his line of profession. His first order of duty involves meeting Doris Hillman (Angela Lansbury), the business-savvy wife of a successful entrepreneur, Gus Hillman (Douglas Dumbrille). Doris knows her way around in the realm of real estate, not to mention how to allure men, both young and old.
Written by Russ Bender, Hank McCune
Directed Paul Guilfoyle
U.S.A., 1954
Edward Shaw (Keith Andes) spends most of his days lumped on his chair, staring out the window from his cramped little apartment room. A scorned man, he was once a star on the rise in the real estate business, that is, until a former partner swindled him. An embittered and stubbornly honest man, Edward’s hope at redemption and to improve his name in the business arrives one morning when a lawyer presents him the opportunity to pay back his debts and make new headways in his line of profession. His first order of duty involves meeting Doris Hillman (Angela Lansbury), the business-savvy wife of a successful entrepreneur, Gus Hillman (Douglas Dumbrille). Doris knows her way around in the realm of real estate, not to mention how to allure men, both young and old.
- 7/10/2015
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
For many fans, independent horror filmmaking seems like a relatively new concept. So you may be surprised to find out the maverick spirit that fuels our beloved genre has been burning for almost 100 years now, since the 1912 version of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde was produced by the independently-run production house Thanhouser Company.
Since then, we’ve enjoyed countless films that bucked the studio system tradition and gave us bold, refreshing explorations of some of our greatest fears and introduced us to some pioneers in the entertainment industry. In honor of these achievements, we here at Dread Central are taking the entire month of March to celebrate all things indie horror.
To kick things off, over the next five days we’d like to take you on a historical journey through the last 100 years of indie horror by taking a look at 25 milestones that helped define the horror genre and, in many cases,...
Since then, we’ve enjoyed countless films that bucked the studio system tradition and gave us bold, refreshing explorations of some of our greatest fears and introduced us to some pioneers in the entertainment industry. In honor of these achievements, we here at Dread Central are taking the entire month of March to celebrate all things indie horror.
To kick things off, over the next five days we’d like to take you on a historical journey through the last 100 years of indie horror by taking a look at 25 milestones that helped define the horror genre and, in many cases,...
- 3/7/2011
- by thehorrorchick
- DreadCentral.com
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