Escaped criminal William Holden takes psychiatrist Lee J Cobb and friends hostage in a remote cabin in this quite tense but ultimately predictable thriller. Of course Cobb emotionally dissects Holden piece by piece - like defusing a human bomb. Although the story obviously draws on Blind Alley (1939) and also tips its hat to The Petrified Forest, we are never in any doubt how things will end and all the psychological answers seem a little too pat. Nonetheless, Cobb is effective as the shrink and Holden even better as the criminal going to pieces in front of our eyes. PS: Watch out for a young Lois Maxwell, Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond films.


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