Movie Review: Suddenly (1954)
Synopsis: Things move slow in Suddenly, California, giving Sheriff Tod Shaw plenty of free time to try to win the heart of a widowed mother, Ellen Benson. Tod's quiet routine experiences some upheaval, however, when it becomes a planned stop for the President of the United States and a group of would-be assassins led by gangster John Baron take him, Ellen, her father-in-law "Pop" and her young son, Pidge hostage in her home, intending to use the living room window to fire the kill shot.
Who's in it? The movie stars Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden, James Gleason, Nancy Gates and Kim Charney.
Review: I added the film Suddenly to my library a few days ago, partly because I haven't seen too many Frank Sinatra movies and partly because the plot sounded interesting. I found time to watch it this morning and was pleased with my choice.
I'll start out by saying this film is very American. This includes plenty of talk about patriotism, including the idea of your life not being worth as much as the president's. It also includes a not-so-subtle pro-gun message and how they are only as dangerous as the person holding them.
That aside, the overall movie had a solid and suspenseful plot, helped considerably by the main antagonist, John Baron (Sinatra). He was an intriguing character, treating the planned assassination as a business transaction rather than anything political and making it clear he had nothing to lose because he was already wanted for murder and could only be executed once.
At the same time, there was a level of instability with his character as well, clearly showing the effects of his time in the war, when he was given a Silver Star for killing 27 men, and always seeming as though he was on the verge of snapping. At minimum, there was no doubt he would have zero hesitation about pulling the trigger or even following through with his promise to kill Pidge (Charney) if the adults tried anything.
This also meant quite a bit of uncertainty about just how Tod (Hayden), Ellen (Gates) and the rest would get out of the jam they were in. The only gun in the house was in another room; they were closely watched at all times and Tod was wounded. As the train quickly approached, it was looking more and more like the bad guys would win or someone would die trying to stop them.
The film's ending was a little predictable but also clever. Plus, while I was able to see what was going to happen, there were still just enough twists to keep things suspenseful, especially when there was a very real possibility the protagonists might wind up getting struck with a stray bullet not meant for them. It kept me on the edge of my seat as a result and I was not disappointed.
Final Opinion: It's an entertaining film that has a great performance from Sinatra and a plot that does a great job building suspense. I enjoyed watching it and would recommend it.
My Grade: A
______________________________________________________________________Here are some reviews of other movies from 1954:
Movie Review: Crash of Moons (1954)
Movie Review: Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl (1954)
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