The Long Wait

19541954
ApprovedApproved
1h 34m

An amnesiac finally learns his true identity...as a murder suspect. And he doesn't even know whether he is guilty...An amnesiac finally learns his true identity...as a murder suspect. And he doesn't even know whether he is guilty...An amnesiac finally learns his true identity...as a murder suspect. And he doesn't even know whether he is guilty...

6.5/10

260

Director
- Victor Saville
Writers
- Mickey Spillane(novel)
- Alan Green(screenplay)
- Lesser Samuels(screenplay)
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Anthony Quinn and Bruno VeSota in The Long Wait (1954)

Anthony Quinn and Mary Ellen Kay in The Long Wait (1954)

Peggie Castle, Dolores Donlon, Mary Ellen Kay, and Shirley Patterson in The Long Wait (1954)

Anthony Quinn, Peggie Castle, and Mary Ellen Kay in The Long Wait (1954)

Anthony Quinn and Peggie Castle in The Long Wait (1954)

Anthony Quinn, Peggie Castle, Dolores Donlon, Mary Ellen Kay, Barry Kelley, and Shirley Patterson in The Long Wait (1954)

Anthony Quinn, Peggie Castle, Dolores Donlon, and Mary Ellen Kay in The Long Wait (1954)

Director
- Victor Saville
Writers
- Mickey Spillane(novel)
- Alan Green(screenplay)
- Lesser Samuels(screenplay)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

Hitchhiker Johnny McBride is badly hurt and loses his memory when the car he is riding in crashes. Two years later, a clue leads him to his old home town, where he finds he is a murder suspect. Johnny tries to discover the truth about the murder, while pursued by gangsters and several seductive women. —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

murder femme fatale amnesia based on novel psychotronic film 74 more

Taglines
- "Three Thrill-Hungry Dames Played Me For A Sucker - NOW, IT'S MY TURN" (original poster)
Genres
Certificate
- Approved
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Quotes
Johnny: Nobody knows where I come from, not even me.

Soundtracks
ONCE
Written by Harold Spina and Bob Russell
Sung by Dolores Donlon, Anthony Quinn, voice on record

Top review

6/10

The Long Wait (1954)

I've had about enough of amnesia stories. It's just a goofy premise and is rarely satisfying, unfortunately it pops up in noir far too often. This one doesn't do anything that original with the concept, and is riddled with plot holes and unanswered questions, but at least it's done with some panache. Thanks to an excellent cast of pulpy characters and terrific cinematography by Franz Planer, it carries the feel of classic hard-boiled noir. There is one fantastic sequence where a tied-up Peggy Castle crawls across a warehouse floor at gunpoint to lay a steamy smooch on our hero, Anthony Quinn. However, I don't care much for Spillane's brand of misogynistic maschismo. This isn't Mike Hammer, but it might as well be, with him throwing punches at every guy he meets, and every gal throwing themselves at him. So while it's probably a real treat for Spillane fans, it's not my cup of tea (or glass of bourbon).

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