Lágrimas de angustia

I enjoyed this picture. No, not perfect, but if it comes on at 1:15 AM and you can't sleep, is kinda fun... full of nostalgic views of the world of 1958, when things seemed simpler, and everything in view was American Made! Yes, Chrysler cars everywhere.. Furnishings of 1958 were a particular delight, full-wall-length draperies, long-low "moderne" couches, vacuum-tube electronics abound, (25" black and white TV's), Cute Women in dresses, real-world locations shot to see the life of '58 USA as it really looked. Gives one a feeling of wanting to go there and live a life of blissful ignorance of any racial, economic, religious, disease caused strife, and just relax with a gang of Psycopaths and enjoy the cool cars, and snappy dialog... FUN.

A genuine nail biter, from start to finish! This film is guaranteed to keep you in suspense from beginning to end! Led by Rod Steiger, who gives a riveting performance as the psycho-kidnapper, the rest of the cast performs most ably, lending considerable credulity to the storyline. Acting honors must go to the underrated Inger Stevens, whose career was tragically shortened by her untimely death. She lends just the right note of hysteria as the wife and mother whose family is being held, as she is made to follow the demands of the kidnap gang members in order to secure their safe release. The film also gives us some great shots of the NYC of the period, particularly the West Side Highway and other notable spots in the city.

Fairly grisly for the 50's, with the subjects of rape, child-killing and mass murder right out in the open. One of the greatest casts ever: James Mason, Rod Steiger, Inger Stevens, Angie Dickenson, Neville Brand, Jack Klugman! Wow! Exciting scenes of NY streets as Inger takes the ransom money to Steiger. Some of the other scenes are duds (the elevator shaft did nothing for me), but many are electric, and the generic evil generated by over half the cast takes up the slack.

This is a really taught little thriller. I've heard it described as noir, but that isn't true. There is way too much daylight in this movie, but it doesn't in any way detract from the nail biting suspense. It's a somewhat convoluted plot about an evil psycho that lures an old army buddy into his plan to extort money from an airline by planting a bomb on one of their flights. I know that sounds like a tired plot, but this one has lots of twists. He gets the buddy to build the bomb by convincing him the Army is interested in it. He then kidnaps this guys family and forces the wife to pick up the ransom money! This is a fast paced movie and the tension just continues to build from beginning to end. There is also lots of stuff for the tech junkies.

The cast is also top notch. Rod Steiger plays the diabolical psycho, assisted by his evil henchmen played by Neville Brand (what a surprise), Jack Klugman (as a shlub), and a delicious Angie Dickenson in her most delicious prime. Inger Stevens plays the terrified wife who always seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but the big surprise is the buddy played by James Mason, of all people. Character development abounds as this story progresses. Jack Klugman begins to break down when he realizes they will have to kill the kid. Rod Steiger begins to lose his cool as the plan unravels. Neville Brand becomes crazier and more menacing by the minute. The family, on the other hand, gets stronger and more resourceful as time goes by. They seem to be able to draw on an inner strength none of them knew they had. The motive for this madness is perfectly logical. They were willing to blow up an airplane for half a million dollars. In light of 9/11 we can almost look back in nostalgia at a motive that rational.

1958 was a good year. This movie lets us look back on cars with tail fins, beer can openers, the West Side Highway, men who wore ties, and women who wore heels. It was also the tail end of an era where movies actually told a story - and this is a great one.

The plot is REALLY dumb, with a back story that writer/director Andrew Stone wisely soft peddles, since it makes James Mason's character look like a complete dope. Also, it is not very suspenseful. Basically it's a lot of Inger Stevens and Mason too easily outsmarting the bad guys and gal interspersed with some aggressively dull FBI procedural stuff. Finally, the look of it is extremely cheesy, what with Riverdale alternating with LA, often in the same scene (last time I looked the Bronx did not boast palm trees or craftsman bungalows). So, why a 6 'stead of a 5, or worse? In a word, the cast. Great assemblage of actors. How great? Well, let's just say, as a previous reviewer has noted, that the least distinguished member of it is Mason and when that happens you know there's some serious character acting going on. My fave? Angie Dickinson, of course, never better or more convincing than when playing a hot, morally challenged, moll. Also nice to see Jack Klugman, fresh from playing knife hating juror #5 in "12 Angry Men", this time lovingly nursing a shiv. Give it a C plus.