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Ambush

  • 1939
  • Approved
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
78
YOUR RATING
Lloyd Nolan and Gladys Swarthout in Ambush (1939)
Film NoirCrimeDrama

Four bandits swoop down on a California bank and flee with $98,000, leaving a truck as the only clue to their identity. Bank secretary Jane Hartman recognizes the truck as one on which her b... Read allFour bandits swoop down on a California bank and flee with $98,000, leaving a truck as the only clue to their identity. Bank secretary Jane Hartman recognizes the truck as one on which her brother Charles worked. Fleeing to her brother, she is trapped by the gang: mastermind Gibb... Read allFour bandits swoop down on a California bank and flee with $98,000, leaving a truck as the only clue to their identity. Bank secretary Jane Hartman recognizes the truck as one on which her brother Charles worked. Fleeing to her brother, she is trapped by the gang: mastermind Gibbs, gunman Sidney, and blackballed airplane pilot Randall. Under threat of bodily harm to h... Read all

  • Director
    • Kurt Neumann
  • Writers
    • Laura Perelman
    • S.J. Perelman
    • Robert Ray
  • Stars
    • Gladys Swarthout
    • Lloyd Nolan
    • William Henry
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    78
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kurt Neumann
    • Writers
      • Laura Perelman
      • S.J. Perelman
      • Robert Ray
    • Stars
      • Gladys Swarthout
      • Lloyd Nolan
      • William Henry
    • 4User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Photos3

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    Top cast45

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    Gladys Swarthout
    Gladys Swarthout
    • Jane Hartman
    Lloyd Nolan
    Lloyd Nolan
    • Tony Andrews
    William Henry
    William Henry
    • Charlie Hartman
    William Frawley
    William Frawley
    • Inspector J.L. Weber
    Ernest Truex
    Ernest Truex
    • Mr. Gibbs
    Broderick Crawford
    Broderick Crawford
    • Randall
    Rufe Davis
    Rufe Davis
    • Centerville Sheriff
    Richard Denning
    Richard Denning
    • Police Garage Mechanic
    John Hartley
    John Hartley
    • Sidney Blue
    Antonio Moreno
    Antonio Moreno
    • Captain Mike Gonzalez
    Harry Fleischmann
    • Captain Bosen
    Clem Bevans
    Clem Bevans
    • Pop Stebbins
    Max Hoffman Jr.
    • Motorcycle Officer Sam Moore
    Archie Twitchell
    Archie Twitchell
    • Bank Teller
    Jane Dewey
    • Mother at Restaurant
    Billy Lee
    Billy Lee
    • Boy at Restaurant
    Polly Moran
    Polly Moran
    • Cora, diner owner
    Wade Boteler
    Wade Boteler
    • Bank Guard Riley
    • Director
      • Kurt Neumann
    • Writers
      • Laura Perelman
      • S.J. Perelman
      • Robert Ray
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews4

    5.878
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    Featured reviews

    7F Gwynplaine MacIntyre

    Interesting unusual failure

    'Ambush' is a semi-noir with some very interesting credits. The script is by S.J. Perelman and his wife Laura, whose screenwriting careers are entirely associated with comedies, yet they acquit themselves respectably in this thick-ear drama which features an uneasy blend of comedy. Kurt Neumann was an extremely talented director who never acquired the commercial success (nor the critical attention) which he deserved. The leading lady in 'Ambush' is Gladys Swarthout, an opera star who here attempts a straightforward dramatic role in which she never sings a note. (And she does reasonably well.)

    'Ambush' is similar in mood to the much better 'Jeopardy' (starring a much better actress, Barbara Stanwyck). Both films play out their stories from the premise of an ordinary person being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    Mr Gibbs is the mastermind of a gang of bank robbers in need of a getaway vehicle. They kidnap a secretary named Jane (Swarthout), whom they intend to use as a hostage. Then, in this film's least plausible sequence, they force her to hijack a lorry and its driver. The driver - a prole named Tony - is well-played by Lloyd Nolan, clearly pleased to be portraying an honest guy for once. Jane and Tony will be spending some time in forced togetherness, at gunpoint ... so it's obvious how they're going to end up.

    The single biggest flaw in 'Ambush' is the casting of Ernest Truex in the key role as Gibbs, the 'brains' of the heist ring. I've never liked Truex in any of his film or television appearances. He always seems indecisive, evasive, often effeminate, with awkward little bits of physical business which I quite find alienating. Bluntly, Truex just doesn't have the chops to play a criminal mastermind ... even one whose plans go awry, as here.

    There are some welcome appearances by supporting actors whom I associate with comedy far more than with noir or suspense. Broderick Crawford, William Frawley and Polly Moran are all good here. George Melford, more successful as a director than as an actor, acquits himself well as the president of the bank Truex robs. I recognise Rufe Davis from cheap westerns and 'Petticoat Junction' repeats; this is the first 'normal' film in which I've seen him, and he's quite good here in his bit part. The ending of 'Ambush' is obvious, but this is a creditable attempt to tell a story in an unusual way, with an unusual blend of comedy and suspense. It's not altogether successful, but I'll give it credit for trying. I'll rate 'Ambush' 7 points out of 10.
    5boblipton

    Fills An Hour Adequately

    A gang headed by the the malign Ernest Truex has just robbed the Bank of the Pacific. While police inspector William Frawley goes through a police procedural to identify them, they're looking for a ride out. Innocent Gladys Swarthout, the sister of one of the gang who has been shot, recruits truck driver Lloyd Nolan to get through the police blockade.

    There's some potentially interesting casting against type, including Broderick Crawford in an eyepatch, but this definite B picture from Paramount relies on a script by S. J. Perelman and his wife, and the wan appeal of the leads. It's a pleasant time-waster.
    6planktonrules

    An enjoyable cheap time-passer.

    "Ambush" is a B-movie with a most unusual bit of casting. Ernest Truex was a tiny man and almost always played moussey, shy sorts of fellows...yet here, he's a mob boss with a penchant for robberies and murder!

    The film begins with the bandit gang stealing nearly $100,000...thanks to a weasel truck driver who is in the gang. His longsuffering sister is trying to get him to turn his life around...and for her trouble, she is taken prisoner! Later, nice-guy truck driver, Tony (Lloyd Nolan), is also taken prisoner and the pair are nearly constantly threatened with death unless they cooperate. So how will they possibly escape?

    The film is nothing remarkable but very watchable. My only complaint is the use of a horrible cliche near the end. When Tony and the gang boss are fighting and the gun goes flying, the dumb lady just stands there...doing NOTHING. This makes no sense and is a cliche that is way overused in movies. Dumb but an otherwise decent crime film.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. Its initial television presentation took place in Boston Saturday 11 October 1958 on WBZ (Channel 4), followed by Chicago Wednesday 14 January 1959 on WBBM (Channel 2). Not exactly a frequent flyer, nearly a half year later, it was once again taken out of the vault and enjoyed its first airings in Omaha 2 June 1959 on KETV (Channel 7) and in Denver 4 June 1959 on KBTV); 1 few months later, it aired in Seattle 15 October 1959 on KIRO (Channel 7), in Minneapolis 29 November 1959 on WTCN (Channel 11), in Milwaukee 5 December 1959 on WITI (Channel 6), in St. Louis 16 December 1959 on KMOX (Channel 4), in Detroit 10 January 1960 on WJBK (Channel 2), in Toledo 31 January 1960 on WTOL (Channel 11), and, finally, in New York City 20 July 1960 on WCBS (Channel 2).

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • January 20, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Rædselsnatten
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 22m(82 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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