The Silver Screen Oasis

Spoiler

I just watched the obscure Frank Sinatra film Suddenly on you tube. It's regarded as obscure because Sinatra allegedly tried to have it shelved as it's plot is frighteningly similiar to the assasination of John F Kennedy, which occurred nearly a decade after the film was made.

Sinatra plays a hitman, who along with 2 sidekicks take over a house in a small village which overlooks a railway station of a small town the President is visiting. Forced to hold the widowed mother Nancy Gates, her son and father-in-law, along with Sherif Sterling Hayden prisoner, Sinatra places an army gun at a window and waits for the President to arrive.

The plot is partly foiled by the prisoners in the house. Gates, who because her husband was killed in the war, hates guns. However, it's her the disables Sinatra with a serious gunshot wound, though Hyden fires the fatal shot. However, the secret agents in the town get wind their might be an assassination attempt on the President and make sure the train he was on doesn't stop.

I can understand why the film has rarely been shown since J.F.K was killed. However, I think Suddenly is one of the best dramatic roles of Sinatra's career. I also think both Hayden and Gates are exceptional.

The first time I saw it I thught it pretty intense. Sinatra was good but I thiugt James Gleason was a bit too much. Interesting story especiallh for the time it was made.

I like Suddenly better than some of the other 'household captives' type dramas. It plays out very suspensfully, and Sinatra's very very good.

An exciting little thriller. And I like "household captive" stories!

Do you have a fave, red?

I'll have to think about it. DESPERATE HOURS is fine. PETRIFIED FOREST is good, if old-fashioned. KEY LARGO is a little more expansive, but more or less fits the description. Is it any surprise that all these stories were derived from stage plays? If ever a concept was theatrical in its nature! Movie fan that I am, my love of theatre shows through and through. Nothing like getting back to basics!

DESPERATE HOURS is probably the most faithful; the least cinematic. Consequently, I believe it's my favorite. Why make it something it's not?

I didn't think of Petrified Forest... that would actually be my favorite. then Suddenly. I suppose I should give Key Largo another go, I've never thrilled to it, nor to The Desperate Hours.

You know which other one is good? Blind Alley, with Chester Morris as the hood holding Ralph Bellamy hostage, but who's got who? Bellamy happens to be a psychologist, and before long, Bellamy has Morris crying for his mommy with a little help from Dr. Freud.

Did I hear the pitterpat of Moira's tiny feet come running at the mention of this movie and Chet 'the Gat' Morris?

I don't remember BLIND ALLEY. I don't think I've seen it.

It's worth a watch, red. Not great art, but it's a lot of fun, and I like the way Chester Morris goes from a scary killer to a scared little boy.

Ewwww! It is good, but not for the faint of heart! Neville Brand never got to me quite as much as in this one. And I love Inger Stevens, an actress who shouldn't have left us before her time.

I like Blind Alley and reviewed it on my blog in March. If you would like to have a look,here is the link,

http://dancinglady39.wordpress.com/2013 ... alley-1939

Thanks Vienna, I'll take a look!

Nice article, Vienna! I need to find the Joe Calleia radio version, I'm a big fan. Is it at the Internet Archive?

In the Broadway play, Roy Hargrave played Hal, the killer (Chester Morris' role) and Jay Adler played the Marc Lawrence role. In 1940, another version was mounted for Broadway, this time with James Todd as Dr. Shelby, and with Hargrave and Adler reprising their roles.

Yes, the radio versions of Blind Alley are on Archive.org