Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 1955
The Night Holds Terror
Buy The Night Holds Terror now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'The Night Holds Terror' is a 1955 American crime film noir based on a true incident, written and directed by Andrew L. Stone and starring Vince Edwards, John Cassavetes and Jack Kelly..
Plot
Family man Gene Courtier picks up hitchhiker Victor Gosset, a wanted criminal who was a dangle for a gang of three robbers headed by Robert Batsford and new addition Luther Logan. When the gang discovers he only has a few dollars in cash they decide to force Courtier to sell his valuable car and turn the money over to them. The dealer can't pay such a large sum out so late in the day, so they leave with Courtier and head to the family home in a nearby suburban development. The plan is to overnight there, accompany Courtier in the morning so he can collect his money, and leave. Instead of crashing his car and bringing attention to himself and the criminals, he foolishly places his entire family in mortal danger.
The night becomes a night of terror, anxiety and bickering for both Courtiers, and upheaval and fear for their two young children.
In the morning Courtier's family is left behind, unhurt, and the plan to get the car proceeds successfully. Before Courtier can be murdered on a desert turnoff, one of the hoodlums, Logan, suggests they instead hold him for ransom. He has discovered Courtier's father owns a chain of stores in the Los Angeles area, and Batsford decides to demand $200,000. The senior Courtier is given overnight to round such a large sum then up.
Meanwhile, Courtier's wife calls the police, who begin to trace any calls they can between the gang and any principals. The hoodlums retire with Courtier to their expensive hillside hideout, and behind the scenes the police begin to close in. There is friction within the gang, and a combined escape attempt of Logan and Courtier ends up with Logan shot dead by Batsford and Courtier recaptured.
Ultimately Mrs. Courtier stalls long enough for a successful trace. The police are ready, and scores of squad cars close in on the target area. There is a shootout near a phonebooth in a deserted industrial area, Batsford and Gossett are wounded, and Courtier is safely reunited with his wife.
Cast
* Jack Kelly as Gene Courtier
* Hildy Parks as Doris Courtier
* Vince Edwards as Victor Gosset
* John Cassavetes as Robert Batsford
* David Cross as Luther Logan
* Eddie Marr as Captain Cole
* Jack Kruschen as Detective Pope
* Joyce McCluskey as Phyllis Harrison
* Jonathan Hale as Bob Henderson
* Barney Phillips as Stranske
* Roy Neal as TV Newsreader
* Joel Marston as Reporter
* Guy Kingsford as Police Technician
* Stanley Andrews as Mr Courtier (uncredited)
* Charles Herbert as Steven Courtier (uncredited)
* Barbara Woodell as Mrs. Osmond (uncredited)
* William Woodson as Narrator (uncredited)
The Actual Crime
The date was February 13, 1953. Eugene M. Courtier was an Edwards Air Force Base technician, and the kidnapping took place on a Lancaster, CA highway; the used car sale also took place in Lancaster. The criminals were Leonard Daniel Mahan, James Bartley Carrigan, and Don Eugene Hall. All survived the ordeal, and were tried and sentenced."Judge Denies Unseen Fight Mistrial Cause." Los Angeles Mirror News, 11 June 1953.
A detailed description of the crime – which lacks most of the dramatics of the overnight hostage situation at the Courtier home portrayed in the movie and instead describes making and eating breakfast together, serving coffee, playing and dancing to music (without any stated coercion) – is contained in a related court document.
There is no description of any gunfight or violence during the kidnapper's apprehension.
An appeal by Mahan for a mistrial over the failure of the presiding judge to instruct the jury to disregard any description of an incident in which Courtier and his father physically attacked Mahan in the courtroom (in the absence of the jury) was denied.
Reception
'The New York Times' stated that the director "must be accorded a bright green light for what he has accomplished in this tight, economical and steadily suspenseful little picture" even though it "is far from memorable".
'TV Guide' called it "A well-constructed, powerful film."
See also
*'The Desperate Hours', a similar 1955 film
*List of American films of 1955
*List of films featuring home invasions
References
Buy The Night Holds Terror now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 1955