Having spent years on death row for a crime he didn't commit, mild mannered sophisticate George MacReady is freed when new evidence appears but can't handle the memory of those years behind bars. Thanks to reporter Jim Bannon, his story is told, but even the saving of his reputation can't save him from committing a desperate act to escape from his torture of the mind. One by one, jurors from the trial die under mysterious circumstances. Evidence that Bannon comes up with suggests that these are murders, and with a seemingly false confession, the fingers point towards one of the jurors who bears an ironic resemblance to the dead victim of injustice.
Cleverly written but occasionally convoluted script defeats an interesting B thriller that gets creepy here and there to sustain interest from the unbelievable twists. Lola Albright adds some spark as one of the jurors whom Bannon arranges protection for, setting up a showdown with the possible killer. Jean Stevens is very funny as her secretary, "Texas", getting some good one liners. Tough guy Mike Mazurki is memorable as a masseur in a local gym, utilized excellently in a tense scene where Bannon finds himself in jeopardy. MacReady proves himself to be a master of disguises, but I found it ridiculous that nobody would recognize his voice. Technically, this is excellent, with shadowy (and in one segment steamy) photography, perfectly edited.
Cleverly written but occasionally convoluted script defeats an interesting B thriller that gets creepy here and there to sustain interest from the unbelievable twists. Lola Albright adds some spark as one of the jurors whom Bannon arranges protection for, setting up a showdown with the possible killer. Jean Stevens is very funny as her secretary, "Texas", getting some good one liners. Tough guy Mike Mazurki is memorable as a masseur in a local gym, utilized excellently in a tense scene where Bannon finds himself in jeopardy. MacReady proves himself to be a master of disguises, but I found it ridiculous that nobody would recognize his voice. Technically, this is excellent, with shadowy (and in one segment steamy) photography, perfectly edited.