Jeopardy is a 1953

1953 in film

The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...

 suspense film directed by John Sturges

John Sturges

John Eliot Sturges was an American film director. His movies include Bad Day at Black Rock , Gunfight at the O.K. Corral , The Magnificent Seven , The Great Escape and Ice Station Zebra .-Career:He started his career in Hollywood as an editor in 1932...

. The black-and-white

Black-and-white

Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...

 film stars Ralph Meeker

Ralph Meeker

Ralph Meeker was an American stage and film actor best-known for starring in the 1953 Broadway production of Picnic, and in the 1955 film noir cult classic Kiss Me Deadly.-Career:...

 as an escaped killer. The film was based on a 22 minute radio play, "A Question of Time."

Plot

A family, the Stilwins embark on a vacation into desolate Baja California and a remote, deserted fishing spot along the coast the father used to frequent with his old military buddies. At a roadside barricade heading into the serious Baja outback, they are inspected by police but aren’t told about a deranged killer who has escaped from prison and is at large in the area.

Upon arrival at the secret fishing spot, young Bobby goes exploring out onto a rotting pier. He can’t work his way back, and when Dad attempts to come to his son’s rescue, the pier gives way. Dad isn’t hurt, but a piling falls on his leg and traps him on the beach just as the tide is coming in. The Stilwins quickly determine that if Pop isn’t freed within a few hours, he will drown in the rising surf. All attempts to move the log are futile and wife Helen takes the car to get help. However, an escaped criminal kidnaps her. Can the woman get back to her husband before he drowns in the surf?

Reaction

Writer Spencer Selby calls Jeopardy a "taut thriller which takes woman-in-distress concept to one of the most frenzied extremes."

Trivia

Award-winning cinematographer

Cinematographer

A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...

 Victor Milner, in addition to lensing the film, also has a bit part in the movie.

Featured cast

Actor	Role
Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...	Helen Stilwin
Barry Sullivan Barry Sullivan (actor) Barry Sullivan was an American movie actor who appeared in over 100 movies from the 1930s to the 1980s.Born in New York City, Sullivan fell into acting when in college playing semi-pro football...	Doug Stilwin
Ralph Meeker Ralph Meeker Ralph Meeker was an American stage and film actor best-known for starring in the 1953 Broadway production of Picnic, and in the 1955 film noir cult classic Kiss Me Deadly.-Career:...	Lawson, the Fugitive
Lee Aaker Lee Aaker Lee William Aaker is a former American child actor known for his appearance as Rusty "B-Company" in the television program The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.- Biography :...	Bobby Stilwin