Cry Terror! (1958)

Duped by former army pal Paul Hoplin into building a time-bomb, New York shop owner Jim Molner and his family become hostages of Hoplin who uses bomb-threats to extort money from airlines.

Director:

Andrew L. Stone

Writer:

Andrew L. Stone

Stars:

James Mason, Rod Steiger, Inger Stevens

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Mason	...	Jim Molner
Inger Stevens	...	Mrs. Joan Molner
Rod Steiger	...	Paul Hoplin
Neville Brand	...	Steve
Angie Dickinson	...	Eileen Kelly
Kenneth Tobey	...	Agent Frank Cole
Jack Klugman	...	Vince, a thug
Jack Kruschen	...	F.B.I. Agent Charles Pope
Carleton Young	...	Roger Adams
Barney Phillips	...	Dan Pringle
Harlan Warde	...	Bert, Operative
Ed Hinton	...	Operative
Chet Huntley	...	Himself
Roy Neal	...	Himself
Jonathan Hole	...	Airline Executive

Storyline

Yesterday Jim Molner was an ordinary guy. Today he's a desperate man, frantically trying to save himself and his family, held hostage by a demented terrorist who's demanding $500,000 not to detonate a bomb he's planted on a domestic airliner.

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Plot Keywords:

child hostage | fbi | mad bomber | extortion | ransom | 

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Taglines:

TERRIFYING...as the time-triggered explosive of a mad bomber ticking-ticking-ticking!

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Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 May 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Third Rail

Filming Locations:

Hoboken, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$482,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$340,000, 31 December 1958

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,020,000, 31 December 1958

Company Credits

Production Co:

Andrew L. Stone Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the movie is set in New York and uses some New York area locations, the entire sequence in which Joan Molner picks up the ransom money at a bank, works her way through the building across the street, and drives away in a car parked in the alley behind that building, is filmed in downtown Los Angeles, in and around the Farmers and Merchants Bank at 401 S. Main Street.

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Goofs

When Jim is watching the TV news about the bomb the pilot threw from the plane, in a frontal shot he is seen putting his hands up by his face. But in the next shot from behind, his hands are down.

User Reviews

Unexpected stuff to see and semi-documentary tone=fun from '58

I enjoyed this picture. No, not perfect, but if it comes on at 1:15 AM and you can't sleep, is kinda fun... full of nostalgic views of the world of 1958, when things seemed simpler, and everything in view was American Made! Yes, Chrysler cars everywhere.. Furnishings of 1958 were a particular delight, full-wall-length draperies, long-low "moderne" couches, vacuum-tube electronics abound, (25" black and white TV's), Cute Women in dresses, real-world locations shot to see the life of '58 USA as it really looked. Gives one a feeling of wanting to go there and live a life of blissful ignorance of any racial, economic, religious, disease caused strife, and just relax with a gang of Psycopaths and enjoy the cool cars, and snappy dialog... FUN.