A Life at Stake

The main-character finds himself in a Hitchcockian situation when he suspects his female boss ( Angela Lansbury ) from wanting to kill him over insurance money. I didn't quite grasp how that works, it seems a bit far-fetched to me...Is he being paranoid? Or is there really a sinister plot to kill him over the dough? And what about the beautiful younger sister and her amazing story? The movie is as mediocre as a thriller can get, filled with illogical twists and weird choices from its characters. Angela Lansbury just doesn't convince as the seductress, but maybe that has to do with her current status as mystery solving-granny Jessica Fletcher. The main-character Keith Andes is decent enough. He's like any fifties ''hero''; a touch cynical, overly masculine and well-behaved.

Interestingly thought out thriller here, with Angela Lansbury (one of my favorite 60's actresses) playing a seductress who may or may not be setting up her business partner to die just so she can collect on some life insurance they have put up for a business deal (don't ask, I'm not 100% sure of the logistics of it). Keith Andes, an actor who I've never heard of before, plays her would-be-victim. She of course plays up her sex to him, and Andes can't resist. Oh, and did I say Lansbury was married? Soon (well, actually, quite quickly) Andes wises up and tries to foil the plan, but Lansbury and husband have plan B's in place..

This was quite a tricky little thriller. It almost looks and seems like it once was a play at one time, what with it's dormitory sets, but the acting sure signs through. Lansbury is fabulous as usual, and I have no idea what became of Keith Andes, because he certainly had the looks and the acting chops to go a long way.

Just viewed this film tonight for the first time.The basic plot is that the main character(keith andes) is concerned that some near accidents are attempts to do him in for $175,000 worth of life insurance.That is still a good amount of money today but in 1954 when this film was made it was near a fortune.Previously I read the main character was a husband,not so,he is single and concerned a husband and wife are trying to put him in an early grave.The plot is not really deep nor is the ending a great big surprise.What puts the movie over are the quality performances in this black and white drama.Not to often have I viewed the t v program "murder she wrote" but have seen Angela Lansbury in a few old movies,as in this one she shows a lot of talent.Her part is a seductive one and she does it well lounging around or near the swimming pool all day long.The target of her charms is Edward Shaw(Keith Andes).Her husband is played by Douglass Dumbrille a fine character actor with many screen credits.I have been a fan of his since seeing him play the pirate Israel Hands in the 1934 version of Treasure Island.He is so talented it's hard to believe it's the same actor in both these movies.The kid sister of Angela Lansbury is played well by Claudia Barrett,one year earlier Claudia was seen in the infamous "robot monster".Whatever happened to Claudia?Jane Darwell plays the part of the landlady,she gave a strong performance as the mother of Henry Fonda in "grapes of wrath".A good cast,big overcoats,shiny big cars(they called them boats back then)and a lot of other things made this movie enjoyable for me.

It's no secret that many judge Keith Andes (by the criteria of ethical-emotional normativeness and acting prowess) to be the best actor of the past century. Because of studio politics and poor judgment--the presentation of merely pretty faces who looked good on posters as "stars"--he only played leads in fewer than 10 films; this is a very interesting one I suggest, for several reasons. Andes has been rediscovered by critics and film fans more often than Atlantis; with the exception of 2 "I Spy" episodes where they deliberately denied him the camera to set him up for a defection and future elimination, every part he ever played, by my evaluation, deserved a nomination for best actor at some length of film. Here he plays the interesting part of an architect in a B/W noir thriller. He gradually comes to believe he is going to be killed by his partners once he signs an insurance contract, ostensibly to protect their financial investment in his ability (that alone makes a new project of profitable building possible); and he is fascinating at every moment and professionally superb in a film that give him little to work with; he makes a charismatic triumph out of an underwritten cipher. Opposite him, Douglass Dumbrille is powerful as always as his backer's jealous husband, and Angle Lansbury is attractive bu no match for Andes as a siren who tempts and perhaps threatens him a the same time. As her sister, the interesting young Claudia Barrett does quite well. The serviceable direction by Paul Guilfoyle is taut, the script above average for a "B" B/W film of ant era. This is the sort of film which has seldom been made--a good piece of inexpensive storytelling carried by competent actors. But the focus is on Andes as he goes from boredom in a lonely room to temptation by Lansbury to the gradual realization that he is perhaps being set up for elimination. The violent climax is both surprising, satisfying and visually exciting; and the ending leaves viewers equally satisfied that Andes' character will receive justice, and that he has someone who genuinely cares for him. An underrated thriller that I can unreservedly recommend; I obtained it to see Andes. But this is a good story well told on screen, a true rarity when it was made, and especially in the years of badly acted and special-effects-dominated childish film-making that have been practiced since its mid-1950's release.

Yes, once, Angela Lansbury was young with a good figure (which I think she still has) and a sexy way about her.

In 1955's "A Life at Stake" she plays Doris Hillman, a woman who propositions a down-and-out architect, Edward Shaw (Keith Andes) with a business plan where she will buy property and he will put up houses. He had done this previously but he was bilked out of $37,000, (327,700 in today's money) some of which had been put up by friends. In the end he lost everything.

The flirtatious and seductive Hillman says that her husband (Douglas Dumbrille) will put up the money but that Shaw will have to buy keyman insurance for $250,000, which is $2.2 million today. This is business insurance that compensates for financial losses that would arise from the death or incapacity of an important member of a company.

Well it isn't hard to figure out what's going on, and it doesn't take Shaw that long either, even though he and Hillman fall for one another and begin sneaking around. He dodges several cars and a car where the brakes slip -- trying to stay alive is difficult around these people, but the police want proof. On top of this, he has met Hillman's sister (Claudia Barrett) and she's fallen for him.

Pretty good noir. I noticed on the reviews that many people aren't familiar with Keith Andes. He had a small but decent film career, in films such as The Farmer's Daughter, Clash by Night, Tora Tora Tora, and And Justice for All, as examples. He starred on TV in a series, This Man Dawson, and was in dozens of prime time shows up until 1980.

Most notably, he appeared on Broadway with Lucille Ball in Wildcat - he had a beautiful baritone voice; he also did Kiss Me, Kate on Broadway and toured in Man of La Mancha. At the age of 85, beset by health issues, he committed suicide.

Definitely worth seeing for young Angela and Keith Andes was certainly a hunk - he had his shirt off a lot of the time.