Fourteen Hours (1951)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

John Paxton (screenplay)
Joel Sayre (story)

Release Date:

April 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

A new element in screen suspense

Plot:

An unhappy man threatens suicide by standing on the ledge of a high-rise building for 14 hours.

Plot Keywords:

Ledge | Police | Floodlight | Media Circus | Rescue

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Paul Douglas	...	Police Ofcr. Charlie Dunnigan
Richard Basehart	...	Robert Cosick
Barbara Bel Geddes	...	Virginia Foster
Debra Paget	...	Ruth
Agnes Moorehead	...	Christine Hill Cosick
Robert Keith	...	Paul E. Cosick
Howard Da Silva	...	Deputy Police Chief Moskar (as Howard da Silva)
Jeffrey Hunter	...	Danny Klempner
Martin Gabel	...	Dr. Strauss
Grace Kelly	...	Mrs. Louise Ann Fuller
Frank Faylen	...	Walter, room service waiter
Jeff Corey	...	Police Sgt. Farley
James Millican	...	Police Sgt. Boyle
Donald Randolph	...	Dr. Benson

Also Known As:

14 Hours (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (re-rated) | West Germany:16 (original rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #14687) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

As was typical of other big studio films of the time, the exterior action photographed on location on the streets of New York City, but the dialogue scenes were shot on a copy of the building and on studio sets at the Fox Studios in Hollywood. The film is notable in that a number of actors just beginning their careers who were soon to go on to major roles in theater and film were cast in bit parts or as extras, among them: Joyce Van Patten, Janice Rule, John Randolph, Harvey Lembeck, Brian Keith, Richard Beymer, David Burns, Ossie Davis, John Cassavetes and Grace Kelly, in her first screen appearance.

Quotes:

Cab driver: [about the jumper] Yeah, if I had my M-2, I could knock him off from here - clean!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'High Noon' (1992) (V)

A marvelous little unsung film.

I came across this film while changing channels. What stopped me was seeing such a young Richard Basehart. What kept me was the tense story. Most of it was confined to the building ledge and the room behind it. The background film was extraordinary. I think I've been able to pinpoint within 2 blocks where on Broadway this hotel was supposed to be. Another thing was the cast.

It seemed like they hadn't gone for "stars", just good actors. Ossie Davis, Jeffrey Hunter, Howard Da Silva (before the black- list), and Grace Kelly in her first film. I wish I could see it from the beginning.