''Three Hours to Kill'' is a 1954 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

Alfred L. Werker Alfred L. Werker (December 2, 1896 – July 28, 1975) was a film director whose work in movies spanned from 1917 through 1957. After a number of film production jobs and assistant directing, Werker co-directed his first film, ''Ridin' the Wind ...

and starring

Dana Andrews Carver Dana Andrews (January 1, 1909 – December 17, 1992) was an American film actor who became a major star in what is now known as film noir. A leading man during the 1940s, he continued acting in less prestigious roles and character parts ...

, Donna Reed and Dianne Foster.New York Times review
accessed 20 April 2014 It inspired the 1956

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

film ''

Gunslinger Gunfighters, also called gunslingers (), or in the 19th and early 20th centuries gunmen, were individuals in the American Old West who gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and participated in gunfights and shootouts. Today, the t ...

''.Aaron W. Graham, 'Little Shop of Genres: An interview with Charles B. Griffith', ''Senses of Cinema'', 15 April, 2005
accessed 25 June 2012

Plot

Jim Guthrie (

) returns to town three years after being falsely accused of murdering Carter Mastin ( Richard Webb). Jim finds that his old friend Ben East ( Stephen Elliott) is now the sheriff. In a flashback, Jim recounts his near-lynching by a mob convinced he had shot Carter in the back. Laurie ( Donna Reed), Carter's sister, who was planning on marrying Jim, disrupts the lynching, and Jim narrowly escapes. He still bears a neck scar from his ordeal. Ben gives Jim three hours to find the true killer. Through confrontations with several of the men who had been eager to hang him, Jim is led to the guilty man.

Cast

as Jim Guthrie * Donna Reed as Laurie Mastin * Dianne Foster as Chris Palmer * Stephen Elliott as Sheriff Ben East * Richard Coogan as Niles Hendricks * Laurence Hugo as Marty Lasswell * James Westerfield as Sam Minor * Richard Webb as Carter Mastin *

Carolyn Jones Carolyn Sue Jones (April 28, 1930 – August 3, 1983) was an American actress of television and film. Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy ...

as Polly * Charlotte Fletcher as Betty * Whit Bissell as Deke *

Francis McDonald Francis McDonald (August 22, 1891 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor whose career spanned 52 years. Early years Born on August 22, 1891, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, McDonald was the son of John Francis McDonald and Catherine Ashlu ...

as Deputy Vince

References

External links

* * * * 1954 films American Western (genre) films 1954 Western (genre) films Columbia Pictures films Films directed by Alfred L. Werker Films scored by Paul Sawtell 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-Western-film-stub