A Life at Stake

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.

Honest, I tried very hard to like this one. It came in a Film Noir DVD collection with several pictures I had never seen, or even heard of - this was one of those.

The plot was fair-to-middling and Angela Lansbury was, in current phraseology, a hottie. I didn't know Keith Andes could act as well as he did in this one - I had seen him when I was younger in the '50's in some action pictures and he didn't make an impression. Pacing was not good and I found myself checking my watch several times - it was made on the cheap and it shows in several areas.

Long story short, if you are confined to quarters or laid up in traction, this picture will kill 75 minutes for you. If you're looking for a real recommendation to see it, 'fraid not.

A struggling architect named Edward Shaw (Keith Andes) gets involved with a rich woman named Doris Hillman (Angela Lansbury) who is in real estate. As their business relationship deepens, Shaw is urged to take out a big life insurance policy. Soon after, he encounters some dangerous "accidents".

A LIFE AT STAKE is a very engaging crime thriller. It's also a wonderful vehicle for Ms. Lansbury to show off her wicked side. Those only familiar with her TV work should watch this!...

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.

That early scene at poolside with Andes in a tacky suit and Lansbury in a revealing swimsuit is a fine slice of fateful seduction. The movie's remainder may not rise to that level, but it has its moments. Andes, an unemployed architect, is inveigled into an insurance scheme by an unlikely couple-- an aging Dumbrille and his young sexy wife, Lansbury. The narrative unfolds in none to clear fashion, but at least we know someone's trying to kill Andes, probably for the insurance payoff. It's almost certain Lansbury's a part of it, yet the actress's performance doesn't suggest moments of deception, unlike Stanwyck's tour-de-force in Double Indemnity (1944). Then too, a spotty script doesn't help. As a result the climactic scene lacks the emotional force it should have.

In fact, the script, as others point out, contains a number of gaps—like Andes apparently walking away from a cliffside car plunge! Then too, director Guifoyle lacks any noticeable style that might lift the visuals. Had the production been done, say, 5-years earlier, I expect a 70-minute noir would have emerged. After all, the elements are there—a spider woman, a wobbly fall-guy, a fateful scheme. All in all, the potential is there, but muddy execution undercuts the result. (In passing, at least, worthy movie vet Jane Darwell picks up a payday in a tacked-on role. Thanks be to someone in production.)