''Crashout'' is a 1955 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

directed by Lewis R. Foster and starring

William Bendix William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, known for his portrayals of rough, blue-collar characters. He gained significant recognition for his role in ''Wake Island'', for wh ...

, Arthur Kennedy, Luther Adler, William Talman, Gene Evans, Marshall Thompson, and Beverly Michaels..

Plot

Convict Van Duff is the sadistic leader of a large-scale prison break. The breakout succeeds with many casualties, as the six survivors hide out in a forgotten mine working near the prison. Amongst the six survivors are a wounded Van Duff, reverend-turned-religious fanatic Luther "Swanee" Remsen, hardened murderers Pete Mendoza and "Monk" Collins, naive youngster Billy Lang, and greedy embezzler Joe Quinn. Because the wounded Van Duff is too weak to travel on his own, he offers to split with the men the money he hid from his last bank robbery if they help him get to where he stashed the loot, which they agree to. Once the coast is clear they then set out on a long, dangerous journey to the mountaintop where the loot is hidden. The convicts take by foot, car, train and truck in an attempt to get to the money. On the journey, the doomed prisoners interact with many locals including a farm woman, a doctor kidnapped by the gang to save Van Duff's life, and a young woman on a train. Quinn is prepared to run off with the girl on the train until he hears the radio blaring his description and realizes he can't drag her into his criminal lifestyle. As they near their goal in freezing weather, the other survivors are whittled down through their own self-destructive actions and encounters with the law: Mendoza is shot by a motorcycle cop following a robbery, and Monk is set on fire by a man the gang had beat up earlier. Swanee soon goes insane, killing Billy Lang, and Van Duff has to kill him in self-defense, further narrowing down the gang to Van Duff and Quinn by the time they get to the mountaintop. Once the money is recovered, Van Duff turns on Quinn and leaves him for dead. Quinn finds Van Duff frozen to death the next morning, still holding the money. Quinn, the only survivor of the six, gives himself up to an approaching search party and is grateful for their presence.

Cast

as Van Morgan Duff * Arthur Kennedy as Joe Quinn * Luther Adler as Pete Mendoza * William Talman as Luther Remsen * Gene Evans as Maynard "Monk" Collins * Marshall Thompson as Billy Lang * Beverly Michaels as Alice Mosher *

Gloria Talbott Gloria Maude Talbott (February 7, 1931 – September 19, 2000) was an American film and television actress. Early life and career Gloria Talbott was born in Glendale, California. Her great-grandfather Benjamin F. Patterson arrived from Ohi ...

as Girl in Train * Adam Williams as Fred Summerfield *

Percy Helton Percy Alfred Helton (January 31, 1894 – September 11, 1971) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He was one of the most familiar faces and voices in Hollywood of the 1950s. Career Helton was born in Manhattan. He began ac ...

as Doctor Louis Barnes * Melinda Markey as Girl in Bar * Christopher Olsen as Timmy Mosher (as Chris Olsen) * Adele St. Mauer as Mrs. Mosher * Edward Clark as Conductor * Tom Dugan as Ed, the Bartender

References

External links

* *
''Crashout''
informational site and DVD review at DVD Beaver (includes images) * 1955 films 1955 crime drama films Film noir Films directed by Lewis R. Foster Films scored by Leith Stevens American crime drama films American prison drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films American black-and-white films English-language crime drama films {{1950s-US-drama-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links