Geraldine
(Rhonda Fleming) and her lover Joseph (William Lundigan) ditch her husband Donald
(Robert Ryan) in the middle of the desert with a broken leg. Hoping he’ll die of exposure so they can live happily
ever after together, they come up with a bogus cover story that the gullible
law enforcement buys hook, line, and sinker. Naturally, Donald uses his wits and ingenuity
to not only survive, but to get the upper hand on his two-timing wife and her
spineless suitor.
This
3-D thriller has a solid premise, reliable performances, and a snappy pace. Director Roy Ward Baker (who would go on to
direct many Hammer horror classics) waits till the thrilling climax before he
unleashes the best 3-D gimmicks. He’s
more concerned with crafting an involving tale of survival than tossing a bunch
of stuff into the audience’s lap. The
taut desert scenes utilize some terrific voiceover by Ryan. Although he says very little out loud, his
constant narration is a wonderful technique to show his thought process and
draw the audience deeper into his plight.
The
scenes of Fleming and Lundigan deliberately throwing the police off their scent
and playing house together aren’t nearly as compelling as Ryan’s fight for
survival. Their performances are still
strong enough to keep you watching though.
Ryan is the real standout however.
His performance is even more impressive when you realize he speaks very
little throughout the first two acts of the film. Henry (The Werewolf of London) Hull is also
quite good as an old timer who eventually lends Ryan a hand.
Baker
waits till the last ten minutes or so to pile on the 3-D effects, but they’re
well worth the wait. Once Ryan and
Lundigan finally lock horns, they throw nearly everything they can get their
hands on at each other, and consequentially out into the audience. Among the 3-D effects:
·
3-D Airplane Nose
·
3-D Gun
·
3-D Rocks
·
3-D Torch
·
3-D Lantern
·
3-D Cup
·
3-D Chair
·
3-D Falling Timbers
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