Russell Birdwell is not exactly famous as director and this movie helps explain why. Despite having a solid cast on his hands, including 1950 supporting actress Oscar winner Anne Baxter and such stalwarts as Sterling Hayden and John Hoyt, he fails to free this movie from its B picture cuffs.
Hoyt, the quick-thinking blackmailer who keeps Baxter on a short rein while amassing a fortune, and does not want to let her go to the man she is infatuated with (Hayden), really pulls the movie's strings. Poor Hayden's fate is predetermined by his falling in love at first sight with Baxter, who responds in kind but just a little bit slower - indicating that her love levels do not quite match his.
With rather pedestrian cinematography and no score as backup, the film jolts along from incident to incident, with Baxter revealing a cunning criminal mind. In fact, she buys dynamite to blow up Hoyt and keep his blackmail proceeds... all well and good, except that Hayden is too decent a fellow and throws the explosives into the sea.
But, not to be outdone, and with the obvious intent of faking his demise, Hoyt blows himself up on his boat. By this point, this material had become too combustible for me and I just wanted it all to end. I won't spoil anyone's fun but the resolution spoiled it for me.
Conclusion: do not waste 82 minutes of your life on this dud. 6/10.
Hoyt, the quick-thinking blackmailer who keeps Baxter on a short rein while amassing a fortune, and does not want to let her go to the man she is infatuated with (Hayden), really pulls the movie's strings. Poor Hayden's fate is predetermined by his falling in love at first sight with Baxter, who responds in kind but just a little bit slower - indicating that her love levels do not quite match his.
With rather pedestrian cinematography and no score as backup, the film jolts along from incident to incident, with Baxter revealing a cunning criminal mind. In fact, she buys dynamite to blow up Hoyt and keep his blackmail proceeds... all well and good, except that Hayden is too decent a fellow and throws the explosives into the sea.
But, not to be outdone, and with the obvious intent of faking his demise, Hoyt blows himself up on his boat. By this point, this material had become too combustible for me and I just wanted it all to end. I won't spoil anyone's fun but the resolution spoiled it for me.
Conclusion: do not waste 82 minutes of your life on this dud. 6/10.