On F List of Movie Reviews
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Fourteen Hours (1951)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
2/16
2/16:
Henry Hathaway, famed for showing realism, does it again by delivering Fourteen Hours that's gripping to watch.
The premise is so simple that I'm surprised the producers decided to go ahead with it. For the most part, the
film works. Yes, I know...the story is hysterically funny, and I died laughing through some parts, especially the ones with
Agnes Moorehead and the psychologist trying to explain away the young man's troubles.
Richard Basehart, who had to stand on the ledge for over 300 hours through fifty days of shooting, gives an impressive
performance by showing appropriate emotion at the right time. Paul Douglas is perfect as the no-nonsense cop who pretends to
be affable, so he can finally reel in the potential suicide jumper before getting back to his job. It's kind of like Marty
meets Marty, two pathetic poor slobs who have nothing going for themselves.
On a minor note, Grace Kelly makes her screen debut and plays a character who undergoes the divorce proceedings which is
hard to believe given her beauty. Then again, she was infamous for whoring around in Hollywood before being shipped off to
Monaco.
All in all, despite the excessive attention that's shown to the wannabe suicide jumper, Fourteen Hours is entertaining.