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Henki vaakalaudalla

Original title: A Life in the Balance
  • 19551955
  • K-16K-16
  • 1h 14m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
220
YOUR RATING
Henki vaakalaudalla (1955)
CrimeMysteryThriller
In Mexico City, a poor single father is mistaken for a serial killer by the local cops, but the man's son stumbles upon the real killer and tries to warn the police after being abducted.In Mexico City, a poor single father is mistaken for a serial killer by the local cops, but the man's son stumbles upon the real killer and tries to warn the police after being abducted.In Mexico City, a poor single father is mistaken for a serial killer by the local cops, but the man's son stumbles upon the real killer and tries to warn the police after being abducted.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
220
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Harry Horner
    • Rafael Portillo(co-director)
  • Writers
    • Robert Presnell Jr.(screenplay)
    • Leo Townsend(screenplay)
    • Georges Simenon(story)
  • Stars
    • Ricardo Montalban
    • Anne Bancroft
    • Lee Marvin
  • Directors
    • Harry Horner
    • Rafael Portillo(co-director)
  • Writers
    • Robert Presnell Jr.(screenplay)
    • Leo Townsend(screenplay)
    • Georges Simenon(story)
  • Stars
    • Ricardo Montalban
    • Anne Bancroft
    • Lee Marvin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

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    Top cast

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    Ricardo Montalban
    Ricardo Montalban
    • Antonio Gómez
    Anne Bancroft
    Anne Bancroft
    • María Ibinia
    Lee Marvin
    Lee Marvin
    • The Killer
    José Pérez
    • Paco Gómez
    • (as Jose Perez)
    Rodolfo Acosta
    Rodolfo Acosta
    • Lt. Fernando
    Carlos Múzquiz
    • Capt. Saldana
    • (as Carlos Muzquiz)
    Jorge Treviño
    • Sergeant
    • (as Jorge Trevino)
    José Torvay
    José Torvay
    • Andrés Martínez
    • (as Jose Torvay)
    Eva Calvo
    • Carla Arlota
    Fanny Schiller
    Fanny Schiller
    • Carmen Martínez
    Tamara Garina
    • Doña Lucrecia
    Pascual García Peña
    Pascual García Peña
    • Porter
    • (as Pascual G. Pena)
    Tony Carbajal
    • Pedro
    • (as Antonio Carbajal)
    Ricardo Adalid
    • Police officer
    • (uncredited)
    Manuel Alvarado
    • Fat neighbor
    • (uncredited)
    Manuel Casanueva
    • Police officer
    • (uncredited)
    José Chávez
    • Police officer
    • (uncredited)
    Felipe de Flores
    • Police officer
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • Harry Horner
      • Rafael Portillo(co-director)
    • Writers
      • Robert Presnell Jr.(screenplay)
      • Leo Townsend(screenplay)
      • Georges Simenon(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    User reviews7

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    a night in Mexico City
    A serial killer (Lee Marvin) has Mexico City in a state of unease as he stabs his young female victims and leaves them with their arms folded. It's a bizarre part for Marvin and he does it perhaps like no one has ever seen him. He kidnaps the only witness to his last deed, an eleven year old boy, who is forced to accompany him over the course of a night in which one scene has them in church and Marvin is praying and asking God who he should kill next while the boy watches him and looks for a way to escape. The boy's father (Ricardo Montalban) is widowed and an unemployed musician, and the neighbors who live next door are angling to take the boy away from him due to his lack of money and instability. Montalban is OK in the film, but the emergence of Anne Bancroft as another out of work and broke character, whom he meets in a pawn shop run by the mean and greedy Dona Lucrecia, is quite interesting. As Marvin is on the run with the boy, night becomes morning, and the police dragnet is closing in. The film is a decent balance of the two strands, the fight over the boy and Marvin's psycho serial killer. The boy's character brings them (the two strands) together fairly well as the night unfolds and the police eventually close in.
    helpful•7
    0
    • RanchoTuVu
    • Oct 22, 2009

    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 2, 1955 (Finland)
    • Countries of origin
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 7 Rue Pigalle
    • Filming locations
      • Estudios Churubusco - C. Atletas 2, Country Club Churubusco, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
    • Production companies
      • Tele-Voz S.A.
      • Panoramic Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 14 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White

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